The Last Language On Earth
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The Last Language On Earth
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Author : Piers Kelly
language : en
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Release Date : 2021
The Last Language On Earth written by Piers Kelly and has been published by Oxford University Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2021 with Foreign Language Study categories.
"The Eskayan language of Bohol in the southern Philippines has been an object of controversy ever since it came to light in the early 1980s. Written in an unusual script Eskayan bears no obvious similarity to any known language of the Philippines, a fact that has prompted speculation that it was either displaced from afar, fossilized from the deep past, or invented as an elaborate hoax. This book investigates the history of Eskayan through a systematic review of its writing system, grammar and lexicon, and carefully evaluates written and oral narratives provided by its contemporary speakers. The linguistic analysis largely supports the traditional view that Eskayan was the deliberate creation of a legendary ancestor by the name of Pinay. The study traces the identity of Pinay through the turbulent history of early 20th-century Bohol when the island suffered a series of catastrophes at the hands of the United States occupation. It was at this time that the ancestor Pinay was channelled by Mariano Datahan, a multilingual prophet who foretold that English and other languages would be abandoned and that Eskayan would one day be spoken by everyone in the world. To make sense of this situation, the book draws on theorizations of postcolonial resistance, language ideology, mimesis, and the utopian political dynamics of highland societies. In so doing, it offers a linguistic and ethnographic history of Eskayan and of the ideologies and historical circumstances that motivated its creation"--
The Last Lingua Franca
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Author : Nicholas Ostler
language : en
Publisher: Penguin UK
Release Date : 2011
The Last Lingua Franca written by Nicholas Ostler and has been published by Penguin UK this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2011 with Language Arts & Disciplines categories.
The author of "Ad Infinitum: A Biography of Latin" presents an erudite and provocative examination of the rise and coming fall of English as the world's language. Illustrations. Maps.
When Languages Die The Extinction Of The World S Languages And The Erosion Of Human Knowledge
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Author : K. David Harrison Assistant Professor of Linguistics Swarthmore College
language : en
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Release Date : 2007-02-01
When Languages Die The Extinction Of The World S Languages And The Erosion Of Human Knowledge written by K. David Harrison Assistant Professor of Linguistics Swarthmore College and has been published by Oxford University Press, USA this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2007-02-01 with Language Arts & Disciplines categories.
It is commonly agreed by linguists and anthropologists that the majority of languages spoken now around the globe will likely disappear within our lifetime. The phenomenon known as language death has started to accelerate as the world has grown smaller. This extinction of languages, and the knowledge therein, has no parallel in human history. K. David Harrison's book is the first to focus on the essential question, what is lost when a language dies? What forms of knowledge are embedded in a language's structure and vocabulary? And how harmful is it to humanity that such knowledge is lost forever? Harrison spans the globe from Siberia, to North America, to the Himalayas and elsewhere, to look at the human knowledge that is slowly being lost as the languages that express it fade from sight. He uses fascinating anecdotes and portraits of some of these languages' last remaining speakers, in order to demonstrate that this knowledge about ourselves and the world is inherently precious and once gone, will be lost forever. This knowledge is not only our cultural heritage (oral histories, poetry, stories, etc.) but very useful knowledge about plants, animals, the seasons, and other aspects of the natural world--not to mention our understanding of the capacities of the human mind. Harrison's book is a testament not only to the pressing issue of language death, but to the remarkable span of human knowledge and ingenuity. It will fascinate linguists, anthropologists, and general readers.
Languages Of The World
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Author : Asya Pereltsvaig
language : en
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Release Date : 2020-09-03
Languages Of The World written by Asya Pereltsvaig and has been published by Cambridge University Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2020-09-03 with Language Arts & Disciplines categories.
Requiring no background in linguistics, this book introduces readers to the rich diversity of human languages.
Vanishing Voices
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Author : Daniel Nettle
language : en
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Release Date : 2000-07-27
Vanishing Voices written by Daniel Nettle and has been published by Oxford University Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2000-07-27 with Language Arts & Disciplines categories.
Few people know that nearly one hundred native languages once spoken in what is now California are near extinction, or that most of Australia's 250 aboriginal languages have vanished. In fact, at least half of the world's languages may die out in the next century. Daniel Nettle and Suzanne Romaine assert that this trend is far more than simply disturbing. Making explicit the link between language survival and environmental issues, they argue that the extinction of languages is part of the larger picture of near-total collapse of the worldwide ecosystem. Indeed, the authors contend that the struggle to preserve precious environmental resources-such as the rainforest-cannot be separated from the struggle to maintain diverse cultures, and that the causes of language death, like that of ecological destruction, lie at the intersection of ecology and politics. In addition to defending the world's endangered languages, the authors also pay homage to the last speakers of dying tongues, such as Red Thundercloud, a Native American in South Carolina; Ned Mandrell, with whom the Manx language passed away in 1974; and Arthur Bennett, an Australian who was the last person to know more than a few words of Mbabaram. In our languages lies the accumulated knowledge of humanity. Indeed, each language is a unique window on experience. Vanishing Voices is a call to preserve this resource, before it is too late.
The Last Lingua Franca
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Author : Nicholas Ostler
language : en
Publisher: Penguin UK
Release Date : 2010-11-04
The Last Lingua Franca written by Nicholas Ostler and has been published by Penguin UK this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2010-11-04 with Language Arts & Disciplines categories.
In this provocative and persuasive new book, Nicholas Ostler challenges our assumption that English will continue to dominate as the global lingua franca. Drawing on his encyclopaedic knowledge of world languages and their history, Ostler reveals that just as past great languages like Latin and Sanskrit have died out, so English will follow. The influence of English now is hard to exaggerate - it is the world's preferred medium for business, science and entertainment, and is claimed to be a basic educational tool like mathematics or computing. So is it here to stay? For the last four centuries, the dominant world power has been English-speaking, but the global balance of power is shifting. And in countries like Brazil, Russia and China, English plays no part in the national tradition. Although globalization has helped the rise of English, trade, migration, economic development and technological innovation are now changing the way we access and use language. Ostler shows how we are headed towards a much more multilingual and diverse future. And as English retreats, no single language will take its place. We can embrace this future but first we need to accept it: the last competitive advantage of native English-speakers will soon be consigned to history.
Words Of Wonder
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Author : Nicholas Evans
language : en
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Release Date : 2022-05-16
Words Of Wonder written by Nicholas Evans and has been published by John Wiley & Sons this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2022-05-16 with Language Arts & Disciplines categories.
A gripping and moving text which explores the wealth of human language diversity, how deeply it matters, and how we can best turn the tide of language endangerment In the new, thoroughly revised second edition of Words of Wonder: Endangered Languages and What They Tell Us, Second Edition (formerly called Dying Words: Endangered Languages and What They Have to Tell Us), renowned scholar Nicholas Evans delivers an accessible and incisive text covering the impact of mass language endangerment. The distinguished author explores issues surrounding the preservation of indigenous languages, including the best and most effective ways to respond to the challenge of recording and documenting fragile oral traditions while they’re still with us. This latest edition offers an entirely new chapter on new developments in language revitalisation, including the impact of technology on language archiving, the use of social media, and autodocumentation by speakers. It also includes a number of new sections on how recent developments in language documentation give us a fuller picture of human linguistic diversity. Seeking to answer the question of why widespread linguistic diversity exists in the first place, the book weaves in portraits of individual “last speakers” and anecdotes about linguists and their discoveries. It provides access to a companion website with sound files and embedded video clips of various languages mentioned in the text. It also offers: A thorough introduction to the astonishing diversity of the world’s languages Comprehensive exploration of how the study of living languages can help us understand deep human history, including the decipherment of unknown texts in ancient languages Discussions of the intertwining of language, culture and thought, including both fieldwork and experimental studies An introduction to the dazzling beauty and variety of oral literature across a range of endangered languages In-depth examinations of the transformative effect of new technology on language documentation and revitalisation Perfect for undergraduate and graduate students studying language endangerment and preservation and for any reader who wants to discover what the full diversity of the world’s languages has to teach us, Words of Wonder: Endangered Languages and What They Tell Us, Second Edition, will earn a place in the libraries of linguistics, anthropology, and sociology scholars with a professional or personal interest in endangered languages and in the full wealth of the world’s languages.
Life And Language Beyond Earth
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Author : Raymond Hickey
language : en
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Release Date : 2023-08-31
Life And Language Beyond Earth written by Raymond Hickey and has been published by Cambridge University Press this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2023-08-31 with Language Arts & Disciplines categories.
Could we communicate with lifeforms on exoplanets? This thought-provoking book explores the likelihood of life and language beyond Earth.
Atlas Of The World S Languages In Danger Of Disappearing
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Author : Wurm, Stephen A.
language : en
Publisher: UNESCO
Release Date : 2001-07-17
Atlas Of The World S Languages In Danger Of Disappearing written by Wurm, Stephen A. and has been published by UNESCO this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2001-07-17 with Political Science categories.
Close to half of the 6,000 languges spoken in the world are doomed or likely to disappear in the foreseeable future. The disappearance of any language is an irreparable loss for the heritage of all humankind. This new edition of the Atlas, first published in 1996, is intended to give a graphic picture of the magnitude of the problem and a comprehensive list of languages in danger.
Sharing A World Of Difference
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Author : Tove Skutnabb-Kangas
language : en
Publisher: UNESCO
Release Date : 2003-01-01
Sharing A World Of Difference written by Tove Skutnabb-Kangas and has been published by UNESCO this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2003-01-01 with Business & Economics categories.
We live in a world threatened by the loss of one of humanity's greatest treasures--it's linguistic heritage. But few realize that bound up with the loss of language is loss of knowledge about our environment. This book documents the complex interrelationships between the Earth's linguistic, cultural and biological diversity. It offers a general introduction to a complex field and outlines some of the key challenges facing sustainable development from cultural and educational perspectives. 'We need more than ever to find ways to share and maintain this world of diversity in which languages, cultures and environments are mutually supporting and sustainable.'