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Rare Tongues
The Secret Stories of Hidden Languages
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Check link for latest rating. ( 52 ratings, 9 reviews)
Brief Description
An enthralling tour around the rarest languages in the world. From the whistling languages of La Gomera in the Canary Islands and the Hmong people in East and Southeast Asia, to the wars and clashes in Sri Lanka and the conservation efforts in Hawaii and New...
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See moreRare Tongues is an enthralling tour around the rarest languages in the world.
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Description
An enthralling tour around the rarest languages in the world.
From the whistling languages of La Gomera in the Canary Islands and the Hmong people in East and Southeast Asia, to the wars and clashes in Sri Lanka and the conservation efforts in Hawaii and New Zealand, Rare Tongues draws attention to how language and culture are becoming increasingly homogenous, and what we risk losing as a result.
In Rare Tongues, linguist and writer Lorna Gibb explores the history of these languages, the cultures they belong to and the tales they tell. The languages, and the efforts being made to preserve them, offer us a glimpse into what we can learn from each of them, and what they teach us about our planet, about medicine, about indigenous culture and tradition, even the history of all mankind.
At once entertaining and informative, Lorna Gibb makes a compelling case for the preservation of the rich linguistic diversity of our world, and expertly shows why it matters for us all.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781838951771
Publisher: Atlantic Books
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 27 February 2025
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Atlantic Books
Edition: Main
Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 32.0mm
Width: 164.0mm
Height: 246.0mm
Weight: 1g
Pages: 352
About the Author
Lorna Gibb was born and grew up in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire. She has a PhD in Linguistics from Edinburgh as well as a BA and MA from the University of London. She's currently an Associate Professor at the University of Stirling but has worked at universities in London, Hertfordshire, Essex, Qatar, Monaco and France. Before going to University, Lorna worked as a professional dancer in Italy and the UK. She also worked in the City of London as an IT programme manager and consultant, for several years, and as a journalist. Together, with her husband Alan, she's lived and worked in Qatar, Spain, Italy and the UK, and before she was married, she lived in Austria and the Netherlands for a few months, as well as Paris and Helsinki for a year. She is childless and has written about the reasons for this in a recent book (Childless Voices, Granta). Lorna has four cats, a Bengal, a rescue Khau Manee and two adoptees from Dubai.
Also by Lorna Gibb
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Rare Tongues
The most delightful parts of Rare Tongues are the most eccentric... extremely interesting. - The Scotsman Any book such as this ... is to be welcomed with sobbing gratitude. - The Spectator Thought-provoking - Kirkus A fresh and personal perspective - K. David Harrison An enthralling tour around the rarest languages in the world. From the whistling languages of La...PaperbackSold Out
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