Call number
Genres
Publication
New York : Bloomsbury, 2012.
Pages
309
Description
Documents the author's travels throughout the country, where she witnesses firsthand the nation's many cultures and languages and what they say about who we are individually, socially and politically.
Language
Physical description
309 p.; 9.3 inches
ISBN
9781596916562
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User reviews
LibraryThing member JBD1
Elizabeth Little's Trip of the Tongue is an often-amusing travelogue through the languages of the continental U.S., as well as an important argument in favor of linguistic diversity and all that it brings to the nation's culture.
At first I was somewhat frustrated by this book, thinking that Little
From Basque in Nevada to Norwegian in North Dakota to Navajo in Arizona and Creole in New Orleans, Little profiles languages from all regions of America, meeting speakers and linguists, experiencing the culture around the language, and delving into the mechanics of the languges themselves.
Finally, though, Little examines the history of American languages through the lens of prejudice and privilege which has led to the loss of many languages already, and likely the extinction of many more before many more decades have passed. The delightful romp turns into something of a paean to linguistic diversity, and this is a much more interesting book for it.
At first I was somewhat frustrated by this book, thinking that Little
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focused a bit too much on her travels and her desire to go out drinking and not enough on the languages she was profiling. But as the book continued, I got more comfortable with her style, and I ended up quite enjoying the ride.From Basque in Nevada to Norwegian in North Dakota to Navajo in Arizona and Creole in New Orleans, Little profiles languages from all regions of America, meeting speakers and linguists, experiencing the culture around the language, and delving into the mechanics of the languges themselves.
Finally, though, Little examines the history of American languages through the lens of prejudice and privilege which has led to the loss of many languages already, and likely the extinction of many more before many more decades have passed. The delightful romp turns into something of a paean to linguistic diversity, and this is a much more interesting book for it.
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LibraryThing member debnance
I love travel narratives. I’m not happy if I haven’t read a good travel narrative at least once a month.
I am also fascinated with languages. I’ve been trying to learn Spanish for fifteen years now, I spent six months learning French before a trip to Paris, and I plan to learn Italian next
This book, then, is a perfect book for me, a travel narrative of a woman who seeks out languages spoken around the United States. Author Elizabeth Little heads off to the American West to seek out Native American languages, goes to Louisiana to look for French and Creole, goes to North Dakota to experience the language spoken by her family - Norwegian, and ventures into the American Southwest to see how Spanish is spoken.
Very good travel narrative. I must admit that Little lost me every time she started speaking linguistics (the etymology of words was especially mind-boggling), but the truth is that the book is more travel narrative than a linguistics narrative. Thank goodness!
I am also fascinated with languages. I’ve been trying to learn Spanish for fifteen years now, I spent six months learning French before a trip to Paris, and I plan to learn Italian next
Show More
summer. This book, then, is a perfect book for me, a travel narrative of a woman who seeks out languages spoken around the United States. Author Elizabeth Little heads off to the American West to seek out Native American languages, goes to Louisiana to look for French and Creole, goes to North Dakota to experience the language spoken by her family - Norwegian, and ventures into the American Southwest to see how Spanish is spoken.
Very good travel narrative. I must admit that Little lost me every time she started speaking linguistics (the etymology of words was especially mind-boggling), but the truth is that the book is more travel narrative than a linguistics narrative. Thank goodness!
Show Less
LibraryThing member GypsyJon
A really fun book about speech patterns and the ways local folks talk in the US. If you are interested in language, give this a try.
LibraryThing member simchaboston
A sort of travelogue mixed with amateur linguistic investigations. As someone who has way too many bits and pieces of French, Hebrew, etc. floating about in my head, I understand the fascination with languages, and I really appreciated learning more about the various communities in the U.S.,
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particularly how assimilation, prejudice and educational policies have made it harder for various languages to survive. I must admit to having trouble deciphering the paragraphs of linguistic jargon, and her reviews of various cities seem gratuitous and even snarky to the point of being rude. Though her comments about Twilight *are* pretty funny. Show Less
LibraryThing member simchaboston
A sort of travelogue mixed with amateur linguistic investigations. As someone who has way too many bits and pieces of French, Hebrew, etc. floating about in my head, I understand the fascination with languages, and I really appreciated learning more about the various communities in the U.S.,
Show More
particularly how assimilation, prejudice and educational policies have made it harder for various languages to survive. I must admit to having trouble deciphering the paragraphs of linguistic jargon, and her reviews of various cities seem gratuitous and even snarky to the point of being rude. Though her comments about Twilight *are* pretty funny. Show Less