Rare tongues : the secret stories of hidden languages / Lorna Gibb.
| Author/creator | Gibb, Lorna author. |
| Other author | Princeton University Press, publisher. |
| Format | Book |
| Publication | Princeton, NJ : Princeton University Press, 2025. |
| Copyright Date | ©2025 |
| Description | 342 pages : illustration ; 23 cm |
| Subjects |
| Contents | Latin and how languages develop -- Khoisan-the languages with many sounds -- Lost and reclaimed -- Languages and ecosystems: an environmentalist vocabulary -- Plains sign talk- the sound of silence -- Whistled languages -- Rare tongues in Europe: Sicilian, Corsican, Catalan, and Moňgasque -- Language in conflict -- Language revival -- Dare to speak your language: Guarani and Gaelic. |
| Abstract | "Languages and cultures are becoming increasingly homogenous, with the resulting loss of a rich linguistic tapestry reflecting unique perspectives and ways of life. Rare Tongues tells the stories of the world's rare and vanishing languages, revealing how each is a living testament to human resilience, adaptability, and the perennial quest for identity. Taking readers on a captivating journey of discovery, Lorna Gibb explores the histories of languages under threat or already extinct as well as those in resurgence, shedding light on their origins, development, and distinctive voices. She travels the globe--from Australia and Finland to India, the Canary Islands, Namibia, Scotland, and Paraguay--showing how these languages are not mere words and syntax but keepers of diverse worldviews, sites of ethnic conflict, and a means for finding surprising commonalities. Readers learn the basics of how various language systems work--with vowels and consonants, whistles and clicks, tonal inflections, or hand signs--and how this kaleidoscope of self-expression carries vital information about our planet, Indigenous cultures and tradition, and the history and evolution of humankind"-- Provided by publisher. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 297-309) and index. |
| ISBN | 9780691274171 (hardback) |
| ISBN | 0691274177 (hardback) |
| ISBN | (Ebook) |
Availability
| Library | Location | Call Number | Status | Item Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joyner | General Stacks | P40.5 .E53 G53 2025 | ✔ Available | Place Hold |