Red reči: Lingvistički ogledi, četiri

The title "Word Order" alludes to the order, structure and meaning of words in a language – how they are arranged, changed and carry cultural weight. The book is a collection of essays divided into two main parts:

• Part One: Topics of broader, general linguistic importance – current topics in linguistics at the beginning of the 21st century: semantics, syntax, cognitive approaches, relations between language and thought, evolution of theories (from structuralism to cognitive linguistics). Ivić discusses key concepts such as semantic fields, polysemy, metaphors and linguistic universals.
• Part Two: Topics from Serbian lexicon and grammar – in-depth essays on Serbian words: etymology, semantic shifts, stylistic nuances, orthographic and grammatical dilemmas. Examples: analysis of specific lexemes, synonym relationships, influence of foreign words, cultural aspects of lexis (e.g. how words reveal social changes).

The style is essayistic – precise, elegant, accessible to both experts and a wider audience. Ivić not only describes, but also interprets: she shows that language is not a static system, but a living organism that carries history, culture and identity. The book is part of her late phase – after "Directions in Linguistics" (a worldwide hit), "On the Green Horse" and "Linguistic Observations Three" – where she focuses on the semantics and lexis of the Serbian language.