Les Prédicats statifs: étude sémantique et pragmatique by Fabienne Martin (review)

ch) results from different historical paths of Latin words that begin with c, which always represented [k]. Readers interested in sociolinguistics will find information about both geographical and social variation. For example, the authors point out that many speakers, especially in the south of France, pronounce the verbal forms est, -ais, and -ait as [e] instead of [ε]. Although the authors state the rules of standard French pronunciation, they do not shy away from popular trends, as in Bonjour! ending in [ə]. The pronunciation of sexually explicit and slang words is included. In the chapters on p and r, the exercises in transcription include formal and informal style, with the pronunciation or suppression, respectively, of liaison and mute e. Teachers will appreciate the pedagogical soundness of reviewing points from previous chapters, as in the exercises on liaisons with d, m or n, p, s, and t. This first printing shows some weaknesses in editing. The early exercises include words not presented in examples, such as Damas or Badgad under d; thus, the answer key is crucial. The liaison interdite of et is missing from the chapters on both e and t. The treatment of ph under f, with little mention under p, seems out of place given the emphasis on written letters. Certain exercises also seem questionable, as in the Rébus/Jeu de lettres and Devinette for r in which [s] dominates . Some examples are confusing, as in the treatment of oy: Under the heading [waj], the authors offer Troyes [tRwa] alongside soyeux. Finally, in the chapter on mute e and the glossary entry on the loi des trois consonnes, the reason for naming this rule must be deduced from examples because the authors mention two consonants but not three. Despite these minor problems, this book is a useful reference for teachers, a guide to phonetics and transcription for university students, and a potential textbook in French linguistics courses. Explanations are clear, and the anecdotes about language use and development are interesting and amusing. After half a century of work in phonetics, the Léon team offers a volume that is a testament to their expertise and their love of the sounds of French. Sewanee: University of the South (TN) Laurie A. Ramsey MARTIN, FABIENNE. Les Prédicats statifs: étude sémantique et pragmatique. Bruxelles: De Boeck, 2008. ISBN 978-2-8011-1420-9. Pp. 331. 35,00 a. Published in the series Champs linguistiques, this study examines semantic and pragmatic dimensions of stative predicates. The originality of Martin’s research is the application of “les idées phares des sémantiques dynamiques et discursives à deux des objets privilégiés de la sémantique lexicale, par défaut statique, à savoir les verbes et les adjectifs” (8). Although this type of analysis may not be entirely new, as the author herself acknowledges, this research indeed provides a fresh and detailed account of how “certaines catégories du groupe nominal bien étudiées en sémantique dynamique peuvent être appliquées avec fruit au domaine du groupe verbal et adjectival” (9). The type of stative predicates that serve as the focus of the analysis are those considered to be évaluatifs, such as beau, bruyant, and intelligent. As Martin convincingly argues, stative predicates are interesting in and of themselves “par leur fausse simplicité, apparence qui explique peut-être qu’ils soient généralement moins étudiés que les trois autres classes aspectuelles [. . .] les verbes d’achèvement , les verbes d’accomplissement et les verbes d’activité” (9). 432 FRENCH REVIEW 84.2 Two main objectives are outlined in the introductory chapter. The first involves the reorganization of the typologie aspectuelle et actionnelle classique to incorporate new classes of stative predicates: Ainsi, on propose de distinguer, parmi les prédicats d’état, les “prédicats d’état pur” comme malade, qui dénotent un état indépendant de toute action, et les “prédicats d’état-actionnel” comme intelligent ou bavard dans leur emploi occurrentiel , qui dénotent un état dépendant d’une action, et tel que l’occurrence de cette action est présupposée par le prédicat. (13) The other main objective of this study involves determining how the...