Cognitive semantics has developed into an interdisciplinary approach to the study of meaning and mind. To date, there has been no other handbook or similar type of publication to provide a practical guide for research in the field. With 46 chapters contributed by the experts, this handbook aims to provide a comprehensive coverage of the field, from basic concepts to major theories, methodologies, and applications.
I thank the publisher, Brill; its department manager, Uri Tadmor, for his initiative and insightfulness in commissioning this reference work; and its responsible editor, Elisa Perotti, for all her subsequent work in production and revisions. The overall design and organization of the book, the selection of the topics and experts, revisions of its contents were aided by Leonard Talmy. In addition, Talmy provided the Taxonomy of Cognitive Semantics (Chapter 1) and contributed another chapter on his latest theory (Chapter 44).
I particularly thank the authors for their chapters. The chapters were written by the authors, reviewed by the authors, and revised by the authors. If the handbook proves itself as an authoritative work of the most significant topics in cognitive semantics, it is due to the professional work of the authors.
My last thanks go to my three editorial assistants. They are Jing DU, Na LIU, and Shan ZUO. They were responsible for all the correspondence, especially during the review process.
Fuyin Thomas Li