The first of its kind, this textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to the study of semantics and pragmatics from an interactionist perspective, grounded entirely on empirical methods of social/behavioural science. Designed for advanced undergraduate students, beginning graduate students, and practicing researchers, it responds to the growing requirement that rather than relying on their own native speaker intuitions, students gather and analyze semantic data in a broad range of research contexts, from fieldwork to psycholinguistic and child language research. Practical in its approach, it provides the tools that the advanced student needs in order to 'do' this semantic research, in both field and laboratory contexts. This is facilitated by an innovative view of meaning that combines reference and mental representations as aspects of communicative interaction. It is accompanied by a glossary of terms and a range of exercises for students, along with model answers to the exercises for instructors.