"The second edition of The Handbook of Contemporary Semantic Theory surveys the field from a completely fresh perspective, with a new emphasis on formalisms and methods, and a closer focus on a wider range of phenomena than its distinguished predecessor. It will be read by linguists, philosophers, computational linguists, cognitive scientists, and others seeking to comprehend the continuing developments and rapid progress that have occurred in this area over the intervening decades." Mark Steedman, University of Edinburgh, UK

The study of the semantics of natural language has evolved rapidly over the last two decades. Reflecting great strides made in the field, the second edition of The Handbook of Contemporary Semantic Theory presents a detailed and systematic view of cutting-edge research, methodologies, and developments in contemporary theoretical and computational semantics. New and revised contributions by leading international semanticists highlight the radical shift in methods and theories that now shape linguistic semantic research. These include the application of modern computational techniques, type theory, and probabilistic models--methodologies that capture previously untapped subtleties of meaning and interpretation in natural language. The chapters of the Handbook also show these recent innovations have brought semantics into closer collaboration with ongoing research in computer science, artificial intelligence, and cognitive science.

Forward-looking and timely, the second edition of The Handbook of Contemporary Semantic Theory provides insights into the bold new ideas that are now shaping research in semantic theory.