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.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Tore Janson was born in 1936 in Stockholm, Sweden. He studied Classics at Stockholm University and received his Ph.D. in Latin in 1964. He has held various teaching and research positions at the University of California, Los Angeles; Stockholm University; the Swedish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences; and at Göteborg University, where he has been first Professor of Latin, and then Professor of African Languages. He has published several books and a large number of articles in the fields of Latin, general linguistics, phonetics, and African languages.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
FREE shipping within United Kingdom
Destination, rates & speeds£ 22.08 shipping from U.S.A. to United Kingdom
Destination, rates & speedsSeller: MusicMagpie, Stockport, United Kingdom
Condition: Very Good. 1747725572. 5/20/2025 7:19:32 AM. Seller Inventory # U9780199263417
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Bahamut Media, Reading, United Kingdom
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 6545-9780199263417
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: AwesomeBooks, Wallingford, United Kingdom
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Speak: A Short History of Languages This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. Seller Inventory # 7719-9780199263417
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Goldstone Books, Llandybie, United Kingdom
paperback. Condition: Good. All orders are dispatched within one working day from our UK warehouse. We've been selling books online since 2004! We have over 750,000 books in stock. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied. Seller Inventory # mon0007256799
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: WorldofBooks, Goring-By-Sea, WS, United Kingdom
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR002485932
Quantity: 2 available
Seller: Better World Books Ltd, Dunfermline, United Kingdom
Condition: Good. New Ed. Ships from the UK. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Seller Inventory # GRP92055923
Quantity: 3 available
Seller: medimops, Berlin, Germany
Condition: very good. Gut/Very good: Buch bzw. Schutzumschlag mit wenigen Gebrauchsspuren an Einband, Schutzumschlag oder Seiten. / Describes a book or dust jacket that does show some signs of wear on either the binding, dust jacket or pages. Seller Inventory # M00199263418-V
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: BBBooks, Poulton-Le-Fylde, United Kingdom
Softcover. Condition: Very Good. Free from all markings and inscriptions. Internally fine. Minor shelf wear to back, with some rubbing marks to top edge. No creasing at all to the spine. A copy that shows few signs of use, near-fine save for (limited) wear to the back. Seller Inventory # 1926
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. New Ed. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Seller Inventory # 11655619-6
Quantity: 2 available
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Condition: Very Good. New Ed. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Seller Inventory # GRP97457834
Quantity: 1 available