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The Power of Babel: A Natural History of Language

by John Mcwhorter

The Power of Babel: A Natural History of Language Cover

ISBN13: 9780060520854
ISBN10: 006052085x
Condition: Standard
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

There are approximately six thousand languages on Earth today, each a descendant of the tongue first spoken by Homo sapiens some 150,000 years ago. While laying out how languages mix and mutate over time, linguistics professor John McWhorter reminds us of the variety within the species that speaks them, and argues that, contrary to popular perception, language is not immutable and hidebound, but a living, dynamic entity that adapts itself to an ever-changing human environment.

Full of humor and imaginative insight, The Power of Babel draws its illustrative examples from languages around the world, including pidgins, Creoles, and nonstandard dialects.

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About the Author

John McWhorter, associate professor of linguistics at the University of California, Berkeley, is the author of The Word on the Street. He lives in Oakland, California.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 3 comments:
Reader88, January 4, 2010 (view all comments by Reader88)
The book is ostensibly about language, but the message I got out of it is that you can ask the question, "Where do you draw the line?" to everything. And thinking about the answer to that makes you reflect more deeply about your own beliefs and assumptions.
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itsay17, November 14, 2008 (view all comments by itsay17)
With regards on your written synopsis I do believe that this book will open the mind of people to give importance in their own language. I decided to put not a rating because if given a chance to read those book I could probably give a rate and more profound comment.thank you and more power!
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jhun022, June 5, 2007 (view all comments by jhun022)
guys this will help you!!! it he
lp me 2
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780060520854
Author:
McWhorter, John
Publisher:
Harper Perennial
Author:
McWhorter, John H.
Author:
McWhorter, John
Author:
by John McWhorter
Location:
New York
Subject:
General
Subject:
Linguistics
Subject:
Language and languages
Subject:
Historical linguistics
Subject:
Language and languages -- Origin.
Subject:
Linguistics - General
Copyright:
2003
Edition Description:
Trade PB
Series Volume:
31
Publication Date:
20030131
Binding:
TRADE PAPER
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Y
Pages:
352
Dimensions:
8.02x5.30x.90 in. .58 lbs.
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