BOOK REVIEW
Claudia Maienborn, Klaus von Heusinger, and Paul Portner (Eds.). Semantics: Lexical Structures and Adjectives, de Gruyter, 2019, Pp. 1-571, ISBN 978-3-11-062296-6, e-ISBN (PDF) 978-3-11-062639-1, e-ISBN (EPUB) 978-3-11-062313-0.
Reviewed
by Diana Alexandra Avram (Șandru) 
, 1 Decembrie 1918 University of Alba Iulia
The volume Semantics: Lexical Structures and Adjectives, edited by Claudia Maienborn, Klaus von Heusinger, and Paul Portner (2019), forms part of the comprehensive Handbook of Semantics series published by De Gruyter. This particular collection presents a thematically cohesive and richly detailed examination of lexical semantics, with particular emphasis on adjectives and related structures. Featuring contributions from leading figures in the field, the volume offers a critical panorama of current theoretical debates, empirical insights, and methodological innovations. The essays collectively aim to reassess and refine foundational assumptions of lexical meaning, conceptual structure, and the interface between syntax and semantics.
This review critically assesses the structure, key contributions, and theoretical impact of the volume, with particular attention to its implications for longstanding debates in semantic theory—most notably, lexical decomposition, thematic roles, and the semantics of adjectives. The usefulness of the volume for students and researchers alike is also considered.
The volume is unified by its focus on the lexical-semantic interface, yet it avoids allegiance to any one theoretical framework. Formal, cognitive, and distributional perspectives coexist, and many chapters—particularly those by Kennedy, de Swart, and Demonte—push the boundaries of how compositional semantics should be formulated in light of vagueness, coercion, and contextual sensitivity.
A major strength lies in the empirical breadth and theoretical integration. The work is not only backward-looking but clearly points forward: it invites new research on semantic representation, interface theory, and even computational modelling.
Nonetheless, some chapters show variation in technical detail and theoretical depth. A stronger editorial effort toward terminological consistency and cross-referencing could have improved coherence. The absence of a unifying introduction or conclusion also makes it harder for non-specialists to navigate the thematic architecture of the volume.
Semantics: Lexical Structures and Adjectives is a landmark contribution to the study of meaning. It consolidates decades of research while simultaneously opening new avenues for inquiry. For scholars of semantics, syntax, and linguistic theory more broadly, it is indispensable. Its critical reassessment of decompositional strategies, lexical categories, and semantic variation ensures its relevance well beyond its publication date.
The volume not only deepens our understanding of how lexical meaning is structured but also compels us to rethink how such structures interact with grammar, context, and cognition.
References
Maienborn, C., von Heusinger, K., & Portner, P. (Eds.). (2019). Semantics: Lexical Structures and Adjectives. de Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110626391-fm
How to cite this review: Avram (Șandru), D. A. (2023). Review of Semantics: Lexical Structures and Adjectives, edited by Claudia Maienborn, Klaus von Heusinger, and Paul Portner. Journal of Linguistic and Intercultural Education - JoLIE, 16(1), 159–162. https://doi.org/10.29302/jolie.2023.16.1.10
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