Frontmatter -- CONTENTS -- PREFACE -- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS -- PART I. NOTIONS OF MEANING: THEORY AND HISTORY -- 1. From Referential to Relational Semantics -- 2. The Renaissance Semantic Shift -- PART II. ARGUMENTS ABOUT WORDS -- 3. The Challenge from Philosophy -- 4. The Challenge from Vernaculars -- PART III. ARGUMENTS ABOUT THE WORD -- 5. The Challenge from Eloquence -- 6. The Augustinian Reaction -- 7. Epilogue -- INDEX -- Backmatter