Ostler, Nicholas
Empires of the Word: A Language History of the World
- ISBN 13:
- 9780007118717
- author:
- Ostler, Nicholas
- format:
- Paperback
- publisher:
- Harper Perennial
- language:
- English
- Publication Year:
- 2006
- Pages:
- 688
- Dimensions:
- 23.4 x 15.3 x 4.5 centimetres (0
- Genre:
- Historical & comparative linguistics
- Condition:
- New
- Availability:
- Item usually sent within 10 working days
Description
The story of the world in the last five thousand years is a story of its languages. The history of the world's great languages has rarely been examined, but 'Empires of the Word' brings together the tales in all their glorious variety. This book explores the amazing innovations devised by speakers in the Middle East, the resilience of Chinese throughout twenty centuries of invasions, and the progress of Sanskrit from north India to Java and Japan. The book also reveals the epic achievements and failures of languages, such as the struggle that gave birth to the languages of modern Europe and the global spread of English. It shows how the language history of the world reveals the real characters of peoples and that the language of the future will be full of surprises. By examining the history of languages, 'Empires of the Word' offers a unique perspective on the world and its cultures.
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