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The application of logic to grammar is a fundamental issue in philosophy and has been investigated by such renowned philosophers as Leibniz, Bolzano, Frege, and Husserl. Language and Grammar examines categorial grammars and type-logical grammars, two linguistic theories that play a significant role in this area of study yet have been overshadowed until recently. The prominent scholars contributing to this volume also explore the impact of the Lambek program on linguistics and logical grammar, producing, ultimately, an exciting and important resource that demonstrates how type-logical grammars are promising future models of reasoning and computation.

All students of the past bump into what seem to be impenetrable walls and are left looking longingly beyond the barrier for the lore that seems hopelessly lost. This book is an argument that all that information is not necessarily lost. It may just need a different approach–perhaps multidisciplinary, perhaps a new method, or maybe just with a new hypothesis for testing. Vanished societies have left behind masses of raw data, but it is up to us to discover new ways to look through these windows into the past.

 

Especially in light of the growing relationship—and tensions—between cultural traditions and scientific inquiry, Lankford’s breadth of knowledge, long-term engagement with the issues, and excellent writing style bring clarity to this issue. It is not an easy process, but it is engaging. Any puzzle-solver will find this sort of historical detective work worth the effort.