Speak: A Short History of Languages - Hardcover

Janson, Tore

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0198299788 ISBN 13: 9780198299783

Publisher: OUP Oxford, 2002

Synopsis

This book is a history of human speech from prehistory to the present. It charts the rise of some languages and the fall of others, explaining why some survive and others die. It shows how languages change their sounds and meanings, and how the history of languages is closely linked to the history of peoples. Writing in a lively, readable style, distinguished Swedish scholar Tore Janson makes no assumptions about previous knowledge. He takes the reader on a voyage of exploration through the changing patterns of the world's languages, from ancient China to ancient Egypt, imperial Rome to imperial Britain, Sappho's Lesbos to contemporary Africa. He discovers the links between the histories of societies and their languages; he shows how language evolved from primitive calls; he considers the question of whether one language can be more advanced than another. The author describes the history of writing and looks at the impact of changing technology. He ends by assessing the prospects for English world domination and predicting the languages of the distant future. Five historical maps illustrate this fascinating history of our defining characteristic and most valuable asset.

About this title

About the Author

Tore Janson recently retired as Professor of African Languages at Goteberg University in Sweden. He has held various teaching posts and research posts around the work, including the University of California, Los Angeles, and has published numerous books and articles on topics in language and linguistics.

Edition details

• Publisher: OUP Oxford
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0198299788
• ISBN 13: 9780198299783
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 310