Description
This book is intended for the non specialist who has an interest in and a fascination with human language. It explores the mysteries and theories associated with the early beginnings of speech some 50,000 years ago. The basic structures of the world's roughly 6500 surviving languages are discussed and explored. Language development is highlighted in the context of the ever imperceptible drift associated with language change and evolution. A sharp distinction is drawn between written and spoken language. The oral medium of expression is differentiated from the written by an examination of the origin and structures of both. The concept of grammar is turned on its head by the revelation that grammar resides in the brain of the speaker, not in a book. Many such misconceptions about language are explored, examined, perforated and exploded. If you only read one book about human language in all of its wondrous modalities, this is the one to read.
