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A review by katiescho741
Don't Believe A Word: The Surprising Truth About Language by David Shariatmadari
4.0
This book busts the myths that surround lanaguage, and it's great fun for any language nerd to read. Not every chapter held my attention as there are some sections that get very technical, but the ones about the social aspect of language were excellent. He doesn't give the readers all the answers, but this is a great introduction to the ideas and arguments.
This is a well-researched look at both the intricate ins-and-outs of language, as well as the more social and general ideas about the topic. I enjoyed the section about the memes that pop up about "untranslatable words" or "this language has X number of words for this", and how we should be skeptical about stuff like this.
I also liked that he wasn't afraid to put a few "fucks" in the book!
This is a well-researched look at both the intricate ins-and-outs of language, as well as the more social and general ideas about the topic. I enjoyed the section about the memes that pop up about "untranslatable words" or "this language has X number of words for this", and how we should be skeptical about stuff like this.
I also liked that he wasn't afraid to put a few "fucks" in the book!