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Approximately how many languages compose the Bantu language group of central and southern Africa? What is the name of the language spoken in Hawaii by an estimated two thousand people? What Western European language is not known to be related to any other language family in the world―and is considered by linguists to be one of the most difficult to learn?
These are only a few of the questions language lovers, linguists, and lay readers will be able to answer with the Dictionary of Languages―an easy-to-navigate, authoritative guide to the world's languages and language groups at the end of the twentieth century. Andrew Dalby had the needs and interests of general readers in mind when he compiled this comprehensive reference work―most other language guides are written for scholars, and many include little or none of the absorbing social, cultural, geographic, and historical details that are brought together here.
In the Dictionary of Languages, readers will find:
•a selection of four hundred languages and language groups, arranged alphabetically, with rich, detailed descriptions of the genesis, development, and current status of each;
•more than two hundred maps displaying where the languages are spoken today;
•sidebars showing alphabets, numerals, and other enriching facts
•a comprehensive index listing additional languages, guiding readers to the nearest language groups with full writeups and maps;
•charts breaking down large language groups―such as Bantu or Austroasiatic languages―by geographic region and approximate number of speakers.
In a world where geopolitical boundaries often explain little about the people that live within them, where we may read about Kurd and Khmer in the same newspaper and be expected to be conversant about each―if not conversant in each―Dalby's single, information-packed volume helps us make sense of the rich mosaic of world languages.
- Sales Rank: #1107689 in Books
- Published on: 2004-03-10
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 9.20" h x 1.60" w x 6.00" l, 2.15 pounds
- Binding: Paperback
- 800 pages
Amazon.com Review
This new tome of tongues is one of the most remarkable general reference works of the century. From Abkhaz and Abaza (300,000 speakers in Georgia, Turkey, and Russia) to Zulu (8,800,000 speakers in South Africa and Lesotho), Dalby comprehensively details more than 400 languages (living and dead), arranged A-to-Z for easy access, and delving into the political, social, and historical background of each. In addition, more than 200 maps indicate where the languages are spoken today, while sidebars show alphabets, numerals, and anecdotes.
If you've got even a passing interest in linguistics, this work of erudition is addictively browsable. In the entry on Greek is an insert on the dialect of Tsakonian. Spoken only in an inaccessible mountain district in the Peloponnese, it's a direct descendant of the ancient Greek Doric dialect. And Fulani is spoken by some 15,000,000 individuals in West Africa, thanks to the migrant, pastoral lifestyle of the Fulani people, which spread the language across the Western Sudan such that it is now a national language in Guinea, Niger, and Mali. The section on Australian languages notes that when Europeans first began to explore the continent, there were about 300 languages spoken by the people who lived there, with up to 12 existing on the island of Tasmania alone. In addition, Dalby explains "mother-in-law languages," separate speech registers that most Australian tongues have, with different vocabulary and sometimes even different sound patterns, for use in the presence of a taboo relative, such as a man's mother-in-law.
Honorary Librarian at the Institute of Linguists and a regular contributor to their journal The Linguist, Andrew Dalby makes it both easy and inviting to learn about the languages of the world. --Stephanie Gold
From Library Journal
This encyclopedic dictionary offers an overview of over 400 alphabetically arranged living and extinct languages and language families. Introductory material provides background information on why languages grow apart and converge, some basic methodologies of historical linguistics, views on learning other languages, and frequently asked questions/answers about language. As in his Guide to World Language Dictionaries (LJ 3/15/99), Darby clearly describes and explains the book's many reference features, which include a glossary of 100 linguistic terms. He also explains positions taken on linguistic disagreements and considers each language's history, relationships to other languages, and estimated current speakers. To illustrate where a language is presently spoken and its proximity to related languages, 200 maps are included, along with examples of script, numerals, and alphabets. Cross references point to additional coverage, e.g., from "Latvian" and "Lithuanian" to "Baltic Languages." An extensive index gives access by languages and dialects referred to in the text or by major languages spoken within a country. Less technical than the International Encyclopedia of Linguistics (LJ 4/1/92), this highly practical work intended for the nonspecialist is an excellent source for browsing or reference.AStanley P. Hodge, Ball State Univ. Lib., Muncie, IN
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Language is both a means of communication and a source of insight into culture. Because languages are linked to political, social, and technological events, they evolve with the changes that occur in society. A basic knowledge of the languages used in an area will enrich understanding of its life and culture. This dictionary, written by a linguist, provides an introduction to the world's languages.
The subtitle of the book demonstrates its scope. The alphabetical entries cover all languages with official status as well as those with a written literature and 175 minor languages with significant historical and/or anthropological interest. A preface explains the author's pronunciation scheme. He does not use the International Phonetic Alphabet, but he does use pinyin transliterations for Chinese. An introduction offers a basic overview of linguistics and the study of languages.
The entries themselves are from two to four pages long. Each one discusses a specific language (Diola, Chinese, Zapotec) or language family (Afroasiatic languages, Indo-Aryan languages, Niger-Congo languages). Entries for individual languages include the language name, estimated number of speakers, the country or countries in which it is spoken, an essay on the origin of the language, its characteristics and cultural links, a map, a list of dialects and related languages, and an example of the script and/or alphabet. Some entries also have quotations of proverbs or poetry. The entries for historical languages that are no longer spoken (Gothic, Old Slavonic, Sumerian) are briefer and do not have maps.
The extensive range of languages covered makes this an extremely useful source. The alphabetical arrangement is, for the most part, a good feature, but some languages are hard to find. There is no entry for Farsi within the text or the index. The article Persian, Dari, and Tajik explains that Farsi is the name of the Persian language, but the lack of cross-references may be frustrating for users. The use of variant spelling (e.g., Panjabi for Punjabi, Pashto for Pushtu) with no cross-referencing in the text and very few cross-references in the index may be confusing. Perseverance will bring success.
The Atlas of Languages (Facts On File, 1996) covers similar material but discusses only 200 languages. It has color illustrations and maps, but Dictionary of Languages has more-detailed articles on a greater number of languages as well as a glossary of linguistic terms. The two works complement each other. With coverage of languages from Abkhaz to Zulu, explanations of Egyptian hieroglyphics and Sumerian script, and a discussion of Chinese dialects and characters, Dictionary of Languages is a welcome addition to public and academic library collections.
Most helpful customer reviews
31 of 33 people found the following review helpful.
Dalby's Dictionary of Languages- Is It Definitive or Not?
By Rebecca Maddox
Definitive indeed, Andrew Dalby's "Dictionary of Languages: the Definitive Reference to More Than 400 Languages" is an exhaustive reference source that examines the major languages of the 20th century. It is a source that can be used to answer everything from general reference questions to meeting the specific research needs of linguistic scholars. This dictionary thoroughly describes the history, geography, and interactions of exactly 400 languages that are currently spoken and have over a million speakers, thus for the reader that wants to learn more about extinct languages a linguistic encyclopedia would be the better option.
Referring to the boldness of this title, can Dalby really make the claim that this is the definitive dictionary of languages? Although there are several sources that examine world language, none have the format of brief encapsulations of linguistic information written in a style that suits both the non-specialist and the specialist in linguistics. The learning curve between linguistics scholars and other academics is lessened by the author's inclusion of easily understandable maps, statistics, and interesting fact boxes. Unfamiliar pronunciations, methods of gaining statistics, and instructions on how to use the maps are detailed in the preface and introductory chapter of this book.
The layout of this book is rather straightforward. There is an index of languages and language groups listed in the back of the book but the curious reader can easily browse the alphabetically organized entries. Thus, a reader interested in Germanic languages could look both in the index under Germanic or skip directly to the language entry entitled German. The back of the book also includes a glossary that focuses on explaining terms that may be slightly problematic for the non-specialist. Academic libraries would find this reference source a valuable addition to their collections.
33 of 39 people found the following review helpful.
Only book of its kind I know
By Robert E. Harris
This is such a cool book!
I've always been fascinated by languages and how their unique structures and sounds and vocabularies reflect whole histories of interactions with each other, and how each one still uniquely reflects the situations and traditions of a specific culture. And I've long hoped to find a reference listing every the languages of the world along with articles and maps and sidebars delving into who speaks what where when and for how long with whom.
And then I stumbled across Mr. Dalby's work here, and I cannot express how impressed I am. The thing followed me around from room to room for a solid month, eating up my free time. The thing even includes minor and disappearing languages. I had no idea Irish Gaelic (my forefathers' tongue) was spoken by so few, or that literally dozens of third-world languages I had never heard of were spoken by so many.
I could not have enjoyed it more.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
Languages but no grammar
By Charles Perry
This is a handy guide to a whole lot of the world's languages (it includes quite a few little-known ones) ... in terms of location (there are handy maps), number of speakers, genetic affiliations etc. But it disappointed me because says next to nothing about their structure. There are no samples of verb or noun morphology, nothing about syntax, nothing that would give the reader a sense of the personality of the language. The briefest sort of grammatical sketch would have made it more nearly definitive.
That said, it's on my reference shelf.
See all 12 customer reviews...
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