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Realms of Meaning presents an accessible introduction to semantics. It provides an understanding of the way meaning works in natural languages, against a background of how we communicate with language. Avoiding theoretical terminology and linguistic theories it concentrates instead on the analysis of meaning, and looks in depth at such subjects as opposites and negatives, modal verbs, prepositions and word meanings. Examples are chosen mainly from English to provide material for the wider discussion of the principles of the subject, but European, East Asian and other languages also provide illuminating examples.

Modern man is often intent on taking himself incredibly seriously, and even more so on appearing as such to others. However, those who dare to renounce this self-importance will be prepared to listen to their conscience and live in truth. This not only makes people more self-confident and independent, but also happier and more content. Thomas Hofmann shows various ways of overcoming one's own selfishness in order to allow an almost indestructible strength to emerge through humility.

Activity guided fractionation of a commercially available yeast extract led to the identification of (S)-N2-(1-carboxyethyl)guanosine 5′-monophosphate, a nucleotide exhibiting pronounced umami taste enhancing activity. Applying model reaction systems, this compound was found to be formed upon Maillard reaction of 5′-GMP with short chained carbohydrates. Consequently, systematic studies were undertaken to better understand thermal transformation reactions of the purine ribonucleotide resulting in two structurally diverse groups of Maillard-modified 5′-GMP derivatives which were evaluated with regard to structure–activity relationships in human sensory studies. Results suggested that substitution of the nucleotide’s exocyclic amino function with small, unpolar residues has a beneficial effect on taste enhancement. In addition, selected representatives of the 5′-GMP derivatives were tested in a cell-based taste receptor assay, underlining the human sensory results.

Application of taste dilution analysis on an Amarone red wine enabled the molecularization of the key compounds exhibiting the characteristic astringent and bitter taste of red wine. A total of 82 taste active compounds were quantified and ranked on their sensory impact based on dose-over-threshold (DoT) factors. Further taste reconstitution and omission experiments led to a total number of 37 key taste active compounds, which closely mimicked the taste of Amarone red wine. By analyzing these compounds in a Dornfelder and Bordeaux red wine and preparing taste recombinates, it could be demonstrated that the characteristic taste of diverse red wines is imparted by the same compounds, just differing in their respective concentrations.

At the behest of his surgical mentor, a young Austrian medical student poses as a law student to journey to a remote mining town in order to observe Strauch, an aging painter and brother of his mentor, without letting Strauch know his true occupation, and becomes caught up in the lives of the mad artist and a colorful assortment of local characters, in the first English edition of the author's debut novel.