Language City
A BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week
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4.5 • 2 Ratings
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
WINNER OF THE BRITISH ACADEMY BOOK PRIZE 2024
Half of all 7,000-plus human languages may disappear over the next century and - because many have never been recorded - when they're gone, it will be forever. Ross Perlin, a linguist and co-director of the Endangered Language Alliance, is racing against time to map little-known languages across the most linguistically diverse city in history: contemporary New York.
In Language City, Perlin recounts the unique history of immigration that shaped the city, and follows six remarkable yet ordinary speakers of endangered languages deep into their communities to learn how they are maintaining and reviving their languages against overwhelming odds. Perlin also dives deep into their languages, taking us on a fascinating tour of unusual grammars, rare sounds and powerful cultural histories from all around the world.
Both remarkable social history and testament to the importance of linguistic diversity, Language City is a joyful and illuminating exploration of a city and the world that made it.
Customer Reviews
One of the best books I read in 2024
A brilliant book that illustrates the importance of cultural diversity - told in a compelling way.
I first read an audiobook version from the library (the audiobook version is highly recommended, so you can hear some of the voices/languages depicted) and liked it so much I bought the eBook afterwards, so I could revisit some of my favourite passages. Even though it’s not a book about food, in a way, it is a book about food, and how Himalayan sushi becomes a thing in NY, for instance, due to cultural/political/social/economic forces. This is a beautiful and illuminating book about resilience and survival and the richness of cultures around the world.