This book is a history of human speech from prehistory to the present. It charts the rise of some languages and the fall of others, explaining why some survive

Does not discuss the Semitic languages.

Speak is a life history of humankind's defining characteristic and most valuable asset." "Distinguished Swedish scholar Tore Janson takes the reader on a voyage

"Take a tour of 21 of the world's most commonly spoken languages!"--Back cover.

A masterpiece of linguistics scholarship, at once erudite and entertaining, confronts the thorny question of how—and whether—culture shapes language and lan