This book deals with words, and how humans learn them, remember them, understand them, and find the ones they want. It discusses the structure and content of the human word-store or ‘mental lexicon' with particular reference to the spoken language of native English speakers.Since the first two editions of Words in the Mind were published, work on the lexicon has exploded. This is reflected in this new edition, which contains substantial additions. One new chapter has been added on layering and meaning change, and several others have been considerably expanded. The notes and suggestions for further reading have been updated, and numerous new references have been included. The book remains accessible in style and easy to read for both undergraduates and non-specialists.