Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
Yale University Press (2011), Edition: Illustrated, 272 pages
Description
With a language disappearing every two weeks and neologisms springing up almost daily, an understanding of the origins and currency of language has never seemed more relevant. In this charming volume, a narrative history written explicitly for a young audience, expert linguist David Crystal proves why the story of language deserves retelling.From the first words of an infant to the peculiar modern dialect of text messaging, A Little Book of Language ranges widely, revealing language's myriad intricacies and quirks. In animated fashion, Crystal sheds light on the development of unique linguistic styles, the origins of obscure accents, and the search for the first written word. He discusses the plight of endangered languages, as well as successful cases of linguistic revitalization. Much more than a history, Crystal's work looks forward to the future of language, exploring the effect of technology on our day-to-day reading, writing, and speech. Through enlightening tables, diagrams, and quizzes, as well as Crystal's avuncular and entertaining style, A Little Book of Language will reveal the story of language to be a captivating tale for all ages.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member dtw42
A word of warning: this book is intended for teen readers! Nothing in the cover design, blurb or typographic treatment (regular 11/13½ pt Minion) gives this away. (At least, not in my Yale UP first hardback edition – perhaps later editions will fix this.) Having read a number of professor
That aside, the coverage is a fairly quick run-down of all the usual subjects you'd expect in a David Crystal general layperson's linguistics book: language acquisition, grammar, spelling, pronunciation, accents and dialects, sign language, slang, style, language families, language change and death, etymology, language play, and so on.
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Crystal's earlier books, I snapped up this new one. A few pages in, I started to think, has the publisher asked him to dumb down his style? The sentences were shorter than usual, the chapters likewise, and there was a certain hand-holding with regards pronunciation, along with a reticence about using technical terms. A little over halfway through, I began to have suspicions when he talked about "the next time you are in a school library" and gave examples about essays. About two-thirds of the way through, it becomes explicit that he's writing for an audience of kids.That aside, the coverage is a fairly quick run-down of all the usual subjects you'd expect in a David Crystal general layperson's linguistics book: language acquisition, grammar, spelling, pronunciation, accents and dialects, sign language, slang, style, language families, language change and death, etymology, language play, and so on.
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LibraryThing member elenchus
A quick, pleasant survey of major contours in linguistics: comparative grammar, physiology of human speech, development of language in infants, language families, evolution of spelling & speaking languages, and the like.
Of the 50 or so chapters, few if any are longer than 4 pages, and each ends
Of the 50 or so chapters, few if any are longer than 4 pages, and each ends
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with a sidebar illustrating a point from the chapter. Apparently written as a secondary school text, with examples geared toward popular music and social networking, but only occasionally does Crystal adopt the tone of a friendly don, not so much dumbed down as benignly patronizing. I'm left with the sense he's deliberately ratcheted back the passion in his essays, so as not to scare off any interested new linguists. Show Less
LibraryThing member kaelirenee
If you've never read a book about linguistics before, this is a fantastic book. It's friendly, funny, and wholy entertaining. I was grinning during his chapter on how babies acquire language.
However, if you are even slightly interested in linguistics and have read up on the acquisition of language,
However, if you are even slightly interested in linguistics and have read up on the acquisition of language,
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evolution of speaking, creation of writing, and invention of words elsewhere, this book will come off as very disappointing. The book is completely uncited, so it's not even useful for finding further research. Show Less
LibraryThing member fpagan
Simple and fun-to-read sketching of such topics as children's language acquisition, spelling and grammar, dialects and accents, language families, origins of speech and writing, language change and extinction, usage styles and slang, lexicons and proper names, textese and language play, rhetoric,
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and applied linguistics. Show Less
LibraryThing member justininlondon
As this is aimed at young readers, it's difficult to judge it as an adult. There was nothing much here new for me, but it's readable and I imagine it might be helpful in engaging the younger reader into thinking more about language.
LibraryThing member Silvernfire
This is a fine introductory book on language and linguistics for high school students, or perhaps middle school students. But I ended up buying and reading it myself because it was written by David Crystal, whose other works I've enjoyed, and nothing about this book's cover suggested that it was
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for a younger audience (it's published in the U.S. by Yale University Press—not a major children's book publisher!). If you know anything about linguistics already, it's likely to bore you. For that matter, even if this is a completely new subject to you, I'd suggest finding one of Crystal's other books or another introduction to linguistics intended for adults. The book itself isn't badly written or inaccurate, it's just not suitable for many adult readers. Show Less
LibraryThing member CassieLM
There was interesting and good information in this book. If I'd never read anything else about linguistics and/or language, it probably would have been really good. However, the writing style made me feel like I was being talked down to, and I would have really preferred a deeper look at a lot of
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the ideas presented. Show Less
LibraryThing member SylviaC
Turns out this was written for young people, but I can't figure out just what age range he wrote it for. It is 260 pages long, and contains some pretty complex ideas, but the syntax is very simplistic, as though written for preteens. I think it is meant for teenagers, but they might find the tone
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rather condescending. I was already familiar with most of the information in the book, but found the chapters on language use in the electronic age very interesting. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cheryl_in_CC_NV
Apparently this is aimed at young people, as there are all sorts of references to 'you, the next generation' and 'you, who grew up online.' ?�But if it weren't for those allusions, I'd say it's just a bit too simple for a reader who has been playing with and studying words all her life. ?áSo,
Several of my favorite bits are about comparing bits of different languages. ?áFor example, we in English use the 'at sign' in email addresses, but in Poland it's a 'malpa' for 'monkey.' ?áEtc.?á
Also texting abbreviations vary in different languages - I bet you can figure out what 'salu2' means in Spanish? ?áThere's also a bit about how Political Correctness is expressed in a few other languages.
I also enjoyed the chapter on place names. ?áEnding in 'by' means it was originally a Viking?áfarmstead or?ávillage; ending in 'caster' or 'chester' means Roman fort or town.
Language at play yields me a few more mind games I can play while having trouble falling asleep (I need something a bit more complex than counting sheep ;).
Tell a story leaving out one key letter, such as 'e' or 't' - (lipogram)
Create sentences in which the vowel is the same in each word: Cool schoolboys do not do sports on top of London shopfronts." ?á(univocalic)
Use the alphabet to create a 26 word long sentence or paragraph: "A big cowboy, dancing elegantly for grand hotels in..."
My only caveats are: 1. no bibliography or notes 2. focus is on British English, history, culture, and geography, with token admissions to American."
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yes, some of this was old hat to me. ?áOtoh, there are a lot of bookdarts, a lot of things I found noteworthy. ?áSo, overall, I do highly recommend this.Several of my favorite bits are about comparing bits of different languages. ?áFor example, we in English use the 'at sign' in email addresses, but in Poland it's a 'malpa' for 'monkey.' ?áEtc.?á
Also texting abbreviations vary in different languages - I bet you can figure out what 'salu2' means in Spanish? ?áThere's also a bit about how Political Correctness is expressed in a few other languages.
I also enjoyed the chapter on place names. ?áEnding in 'by' means it was originally a Viking?áfarmstead or?ávillage; ending in 'caster' or 'chester' means Roman fort or town.
Language at play yields me a few more mind games I can play while having trouble falling asleep (I need something a bit more complex than counting sheep ;).
Tell a story leaving out one key letter, such as 'e' or 't' - (lipogram)
Create sentences in which the vowel is the same in each word: Cool schoolboys do not do sports on top of London shopfronts." ?á(univocalic)
Use the alphabet to create a 26 word long sentence or paragraph: "A big cowboy, dancing elegantly for grand hotels in..."
My only caveats are: 1. no bibliography or notes 2. focus is on British English, history, culture, and geography, with token admissions to American."
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2010
Physical description
8.4 inches
ISBN
0300170823 / 9780300170825
UPC
000300170823