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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.
togidemi's review
5.0
I vibrate so much for invented languages and linguistics in general. This one was such a treat to read. Accessible without sounding patronizing (like so many pop academia books do), giving just enough technical detail and history with humor and cheer, while highlighting the various quirks and flaws and weirdness and arrogance of language inventors and their followers (and the culture of them all). A decently comprehensive timeline of the eras of language invention too! Cannot recommend this enough as an introduction to the field, and also just as literature I will now reverse gatekeep to anyone who cares to listen. A new favorite and a load-bearing book of my personality now. Love it to bits!!!
laurasauras's review against another edition
5.0
An incredibly accessible and fascinating introduction to invented languages. At times while reading this I alternatively felt inspired to learn Esperanto, watch every movie and episode of Star Trek, and invent my own language. I still can't quite believe how friendly I feel with the author. I wish every non-fiction book I found in the library after a research spiral was as engaging and lovely as this one was.