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(as of Mar 04, 2025 03:08:08 UTC – Details)
“Monumental . . . [Ostler’s] massive overview of major languages in world history puts the current global spread of English in perspective.”—Chicago Tribune
In this linguistic Thousand and One Nights, Nicholas Ostler creates the first history of the world’s great languages,, gloriously celebrating the wonder of words that binds communities together and makes possible both the living of a common history and the telling of it.
From the uncanny resilience of Chinese through twenty centuries of invasions to the engaging self-regard of Greek and to the struggles that gave birth to the languages of modern Europe, these epic achievements and more are brilliantly explored, as are the fascinating failures of once “universal” languages. A splendid, authoritative, and remarkable work, it demonstrates how the language history of the world eloquently reveals the real character of our planet’s diverse peoples and prepares us for a linguistic future full of surprises.
ASIN : 0060935723
Publisher : Harper Perennial; Reprint edition (June 27, 2006)
Language : English
Paperback : 640 pages
ISBN-10 : 9780060935726
ISBN-13 : 978-0060935726
Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
Dimensions : 5.31 x 1.02 x 8 inches
Customers say
Customers find the book interesting and full of fascinating information about language history. They describe it as a great presentation of world history as it relates to the evolution of language. Many readers find it easy to read and valuable for educators and students in world history. However, some find the pacing slow and difficult to follow, with repetitive material and long chapters. Opinions are mixed on the writing quality, with some finding it well-written and clear, while others find it dense and pedantic at times.
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