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The Story of Human Language
- Narrated by: John McWhorter
- Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins
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The Story of Human Language
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Summary
Language defines us as a species, placing humans head and shoulders above even the most proficient animal communicators. But it also beguiles us with its endless mysteries, allowing us to ponder why different languages emerged, why there isn't simply a single language, how languages change over time and whether that's good or bad, and how languages die out and become extinct. Now you can explore all of these questions and more in an in-depth series of 36 lectures from one of America's leading linguists.
You'll be witness to the development of human language, learning how a single tongue spoken 150,000 years ago evolved into the estimated 6,000 languages used around the world today and gaining an appreciation of the remarkable ways in which one language sheds light on another.
The many fascinating topics you examine in these lectures include: the intriguing evidence that links a specific gene to the ability to use language; the specific mechanisms responsible for language change; language families and the heated debate over the first language; the phenomenon of language mixture; why some languages develop more grammatical machinery than they actually need; the famous hypothesis that says our grammars channel how we think; artificial languages, including Esperanto and sign languages for the deaf; and how word histories reflect the phenomena of language change and mixture worldwide.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
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What listeners say about The Story of Human Language
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 25-07-18
Engaging overview of language development
Lots of interesting evolutionary iquirks explained and many amusing anecdotes included to asaist learning experience.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- G
- 09-09-19
Fascinating and entertaining account of language
This was a really interesting and enjoyable course on the development of languages. It takes a global perspective with examples from Africa the Far East and other areas but goes into great depth on Indo-European languages both romance and Germanic with plenty of explanation of English. The lecturer’s style is light hearted and often amusing making material which could be dull feel interesting and relevant.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 25-05-20
Really interesting and easy to listen to
Listened to it twice already! Really good content and good narration. Interesting till the end
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- KL
- 13-05-20
Best
Absolutely the best narrator. And for me as an amateur linguist the most interesting book ever. Many thanks!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 17-09-17
Very good overview of the topic of language
I recommend this course. Very interesting and professional overview of the topic. Great Courses are typically shallow, this one is not.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 31-12-18
Fascinating, often funny, always easy to digest
I expected this to be interesting , but the style of delivery was as brilliant as the content was fascinating. This made it really accessible and enjoyable to listen to.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Thomas
- 04-11-15
Excellent run through of linguistics
Fantastic series on linguistics with a knowledgeable and witty lecturer. Highly recommended for anyone vaguely interested in the subject area
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9 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Gearoid McG
- 18-10-16
Excellent
Loved this series. Excellent layout, and pace, and Prof McWhorter keeps it light hearted and entertaining
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5 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Saemelie
- 14-07-20
Fascinating with humour
A really deep dive and globally connected story of language that teaches you a few key principles that apply to our many languages..in a complex weave of human connection.
However this must be updated with politically correct and non offensive language in terms of Black Lives Matter - and review references to slavery etc.
Excellent and brilliant speaker - with such memorable entertaining quips throughout - great Human performance. Would have loved him to be my lecturer!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Ms
- 15-01-18
Entertaining, interesting and informative
Any additional comments?
This lecturer is very relaxed and natural in his presentation and succeeds in make his linguistics series very interesting as well as informative (and I have limited interest in languages). Extra light relief was (accidentally) provided by his stabs at British regional accents and dialects.
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