Speech, memory, and meaning

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The book adopts a usage-oriented approach to language description, centered on the concept of intertextual memory from post-structural semiotics and literary theory. It asserts that all new language facts stem from speakers' memories of prior language experiences. This "speech to speech" model posits that new speech emerges from recalled fragments that are both reiterated and manipulated, with new meanings superimposed on familiar elements. The model presents language meaning as an open-ended process, akin to the interpretation of literary works in modern criticism. Central to this framework is the Communicative Fragment (CF), defined as a segment of speech recognized by speakers as a cohesive unit. CFs possess a prefabricated shape and integral meaning that transcends analyzable components, characterized by a specific communicative "texture" tied to speech genres, situations, and speaker profiles. While CFs have recognizable forms, they are flexible, allowing for modification, truncation, or fusion with other CFs. The book explores how speakers manipulate their linguistic memory, resulting in endless variations and nuances in meaning. It appeals to linguists across various fields, including Cognitive Linguistics, discourse analysis, functional linguistics, language pedagogy, translation studies, semiotics, and the philosophy of language.