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emmabeckman's review against another edition
5.0
I had to read most of this book for class so I finished the rest of it. It's pretty niche but very very interesting. The writing style is very casual, so it is definitely accessible to non-expert readers. Arika has done so much research to write this book and it really shows in her writing, as she is able to talk about not only the linguistic features of so many languages but also her own personal experiences and travails with each language in turn.
tuai's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.25
Fascinating, entertaining and surprisingly sweet.
surfmadpig's review
5.0
"There are trends, or eras, in language invention that reflect the preoccupations of the surrounding culture, and so, in a way, the history of the invented languages is a story about the way we think about language." (p. 20)
This is a fascinating book. Informative and entertaining. Despite the density of information, the writing style pretty good, and it's quite an easy read, especially if language in general interests you even a little bit.
Arika Okrent goes beyond telling the story of the most prominent artificial languages. She gives important historical context, and provides plausible explanations for the reasons, purposes and inspiration for their creation.
She also provides lots of interesting insight into the mechanics of artificial and native languages.
Highly recommended.
"Ambiguity, or fuzziness of meaning, is not a flaw of natural language but a feature that gives it flexibility and that, for whatever reason, suits our minds and the way we think. Likewise, the fact that languages depend on arbitrary convention or cultural habit is not a flaw but a feature that allows us to rein in the fuzziness by establishing agreed-upon meanings at different levels of precision. Language needs its "flaws" in order to do the enormous range of things we use it for." (p.197-198)
This is a fascinating book. Informative and entertaining. Despite the density of information, the writing style pretty good, and it's quite an easy read, especially if language in general interests you even a little bit.
Arika Okrent goes beyond telling the story of the most prominent artificial languages. She gives important historical context, and provides plausible explanations for the reasons, purposes and inspiration for their creation.
She also provides lots of interesting insight into the mechanics of artificial and native languages.
Highly recommended.
"Ambiguity, or fuzziness of meaning, is not a flaw of natural language but a feature that gives it flexibility and that, for whatever reason, suits our minds and the way we think. Likewise, the fact that languages depend on arbitrary convention or cultural habit is not a flaw but a feature that allows us to rein in the fuzziness by establishing agreed-upon meanings at different levels of precision. Language needs its "flaws" in order to do the enormous range of things we use it for." (p.197-198)
sky353's review
informative
medium-paced
2.75
Die Autorin ist so eine Haterin, es ist crazy. Ja, man versteht den Punkt, dass die Community von conlangs exzentrisch ist usw aber sie wertet konstant und immer ganze Leben von Menschen ab. Besonders eine Stelle an der sie schrieb, dass ein Dude mehrere Bachelor Abschlüsse in random Fächern die ihn interessierten machte, verschiedenen Hobbies nach ging und die Welt bereiste beschreibt sie als troublesome life not being able to find a purpose. Die Autorin ist so eine Konformistin es ist einfach nur annoying. Einige Teile waren echt spannend und die Charakterisierungen (auch wenn ich mir sicher bin, dass die größtenteils überdramatisiert und aufgebauscht sind) teils lustig interessant. Aber auch wenn das Schlusswort dann doch eher positiv ausfällt, fand ich die Erzählungen teilweise sehr depressing und hopeless, was definitiv an der Autorin lag. Kann das Buch tbh nicht wirklich empfehlen
fantine525's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.5
I now want to study linguistics more than ever. It’s a pity my parents won’t let me.
Kinda makes me want to write a fantasy novel just to invent my own language for it. I just might do it
Kinda makes me want to write a fantasy novel just to invent my own language for it. I just might do it
bioniclib's review
4.0
Until the 17th century math problems were written in prose. The operators (+ - / *) weren't used until then. Unsurprisingly, science took off as modern physics and calculus were born. (34)
I love how she chose the word "shit" to evaluate John Wilkins hierarchy of the universe as a way to create words. (Background in Chap 5 and the hunt is cheap 6)
According to Wilkins shit belongs to the classification of motion…it's called < a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/PBNQhBXk27ecuEY76'>dunging
Because each branch of the hierarchy is assigned a letter, the Wilkian word for shit was cepuhws. (57)
Roget's thesaurus classifies shit as a motion, too?! (66)
Charles Bliss and his Blisssymbolics language of combining symbols helped kids with Cerebral Palsy and other illnesses communicate for the first time, proving they were just as smart as others. Too bad Bliss was cuckoo-bananapants. (Chap 14)
One of the reoccurring impetuses for creating a universal language was how words in national languages can be used for evil, to twist meaning, to corrupt people. She cites the propaganda machines of Nazi German and Soviet Russian. (199-200)
Tolkien built his languages around aspects of the Finnish language he loved. (253).
The last chapter is on Klingon. Improbably one of the more successful invented languages. Unlike Esperanto, that was created by a Jew fleeing Nazi Germany as a hope to unify the world through language, Klingon has no grand purpose.
I love how she chose the word "shit" to evaluate John Wilkins hierarchy of the universe as a way to create words. (Background in Chap 5 and the hunt is cheap 6)
According to Wilkins shit belongs to the classification of motion…it's called < a href="https://photos.app.goo.gl/PBNQhBXk27ecuEY76'>dunging
Because each branch of the hierarchy is assigned a letter, the Wilkian word for shit was cepuhws. (57)
Roget's thesaurus classifies shit as a motion, too?! (66)
Charles Bliss and his Blisssymbolics language of combining symbols helped kids with Cerebral Palsy and other illnesses communicate for the first time, proving they were just as smart as others. Too bad Bliss was cuckoo-bananapants. (Chap 14)
One of the reoccurring impetuses for creating a universal language was how words in national languages can be used for evil, to twist meaning, to corrupt people. She cites the propaganda machines of Nazi German and Soviet Russian. (199-200)
Tolkien built his languages around aspects of the Finnish language he loved. (253).
The last chapter is on Klingon. Improbably one of the more successful invented languages. Unlike Esperanto, that was created by a Jew fleeing Nazi Germany as a hope to unify the world through language, Klingon has no grand purpose.