This is the first book of its kind that explains the basic concepts, theoretical foundations and systematic research of linguistic semiotics, so as to establish a well-founded framework for linguistic semiotics as an independent discipline. While examining the major claims of different schools of semiotics, it also addresses 12 central issues concerning linguistic semiotics, and outlines semiotic studies in China focusing on the multiple research areas and accomplishments. In addition to illustrations and tables, the book offers an "Index of References in Linguistic Semiotics" consisting of 1,063 entries, including monographs, journal papers, conference proceedings, etc. in Chinese, English and Russian.

Autorentext
Prof. Mingyu Wang is a doctoral supervisor, post-doctoral cooperative supervisor, chairman of the Committee of Semiotics of the Chinese Society of Logic, and president of the Chinese Association for Language and Semiotic Studies. Prof. Wang is a 'Longjiang Scholar' Specially Appointed Professor, Tianjin Specially Appointed Professor, Outstanding Tianjin 'Jinmen Scholar' and winner of Tianjin's Top Teacher Award. He is winner of the Russian 'Pushkin Medal' and the Russian 'Friendship and Cooperation Medal'.
Prof. Wang is a former editor-in-chief of Foreign Language Research and current editorial board member of 10 foreign language journals in China. He is also vice chairman of the Russian Language Teaching Advisory Board under the National Foreign Languages Teaching Advisory Committee, president of the Tianjin Association for Foreign Language Studies and director of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Association for MTI Education. He is a specially appointed expert of the National Textbook Committee and visiting professor and adjunct researcher at 12 universities and research institutes. Prof. Wang is accomplished in linguistic semiotics, general linguistics, functional linguistics, foreign language pedagogy and other fields, and his representative works include Linguistic Semiotics, Modern Linguistic Semiotics, Semiotics Thoughts, Functional Linguistics and A New Coursebook on Foreign Language Teaching.

Inhalt
Chapter 1 Introduction to Linguistic Signs1.1 Humans and signs1.1.1 Man as symbolic animal1.1.2 Man as advanced symbolic animal1.2 Sign1.2.1 Concept of sign1.2.2 Types of sign1.2.2.1 Classification based on denoting relationship (According to the relationship between form and content of a sign)1.2.2.2 Classification of objective and subjective relations (Based on the objective and subjective relations of signs)1.2.2.3 Classification of symbolic thinking relationships (based on the way of symbolic thinking).1.2.3. Sign process and sign field1.2.3.1 Thought field1.2.3.2 Cultural field1.2.3.3 Psychological field1.3 Language and sign1.3.1 The nature and definitions of language1.3.1.1 Language as a special social phenomenon1.3.1.2 Language as a unified communicative tool of the society1.3.1.3 Language as an important tool of human thought1.3.2 Classification of language1.3.3 Language is a sign system1.3.4 Language as a special system of signs1.3.4.1 ArbitrarinessChapter 2 Introduction to Linguistic Semiotics2.1 Linguistics2.1.1 The object of linguistics2.1.1.1 The scientificity of linguistics2.1.1.2 The object of linguistics2.1.2 Classification of linguistics2.1.2.1 General linguistics and specific linguistics2.1.2.2 Internal linguistics and external linguistics2.1.2.3 Diachronic linguistics and synchronic linguistics2.1.2.4 Comparative linguistics and contrastive linguistics2.1.2.5 Theoretical linguistics and applied linguistics2.2 Semiotics2.2.1 Traditions of semiotics: an overview2.2.1.1 In the West2.2.1.2 In China2.2.2 The establishment of semiotics2.2.2.1 Origins of modern semiotic theories2.2.2.2 The establishment of modern semiotics2.2.3 Classification of semiotics2.2.4. Branches of semiotic studies2.2.4.1 Trichotomy of semiotics2.2.4.2 Research orientation and main schools of semiotics2.2.5. The significance of semiotic studies2.3 Linguistic semioticsChapter 3 The Binary Opposition of Linguistic Signs3.1 The status of language in speech acts3.2 Features of langue and parole3.2.1 Features of langue3.2.2 Features of parole3.2.3 Relations between langue and parole3.3 The binary opposition between langue and paroleChapter 4 The Hierarchy of Linguistic Signs4.1 The hierarchical approach in a broad sense4.2 The hierarchical approach in a narrow sense4.2.1 The ontological approach4.2.2 The methodological approach4.2.2.1 Phonological hierarchy4.2.2.2 Morphological hierarchy4.2.2.3 Syntactic hierarchy4.2.2.4 lexical-semantic hierarchy4.2.3 The epistemological approach4.2.3.1 Expressive level4.2.3.2 Content hierarchy4.3 The basic levels of linguistic signs4.3.1 Syntactic relation4.3.2 Semantic relation4.3.3 Pragmatic relationChapter 5 Meaning of Linguistic Signs5.1 Different views towards the meaning of linguistic signs5.1.1 The methodological approach to meaning5.1.1.1 Hypothesis-deduction method5.1.1.2 Analytic-induction method5.1.2 The ontological approach to meaning5.1.2.1 The Dyadic Model5.1.2.2 The Triadic Model5.1.2.3 The Semiotic Triangle5.1.2.4 The Semantic Trapezoid and the Semantic Quadrangle5.1.3 The epistemological approach to meaning5.1.3.1 The truth-value theory5.1.3.2 The theory o...