[ 3 / biz / cgl / ck / diy / fa / ic / jp / lit / sci / vr / vt ] [ index / top / reports ] [ become a patron ] [ status ]
2023-11: Warosu is now out of extended maintenance.

/lit/ - Literature

View post   
File: 212 KB, 1600x1063, F397D8A6-28B4-4E79-A75F-CE8805B7E4F7.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
15054263 No.15054263 [Reply] [Original]

What are the best books on the history of language?

>> No.15054375

>>15054263

I have no idea but I have a general interest in the question as a DISTINCT but closely related one to linguistics. I tried asking /his/ for a history of the English language itself like two weeks ago and they were of no help. Good question at any rate.

>> No.15054487

Any books or articles on the development of language via song birds?

>> No.15054503

>>15054263
Survive the jive

>> No.15054614

>>15054487
No, but have you guys noticed the songbirds in your area mixing their old tunes with car alarms and the jingles of progress? It makes me sad.

>> No.15054617

John DeFrancis - Visible Speech: The Diverse Oneness of Writing Systems

>> No.15054903

>>15054263
One of the best and certainly enjoyable is Umberto Eco's In Search Of The Perfect Language. It is very eye-opening on our understanding of language and how this understanding changed over three millenia.

>> No.15054933
File: 23 KB, 619x495, 1C16BCF3-7D4E-4470-BC2B-1D05D7793F27.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
15054933

>>15054263

>> No.15055066

>>15054614
i heard a mockingbird mimicking the sounds of an electrical transformer once. it was pretty weird but it might have changed my life

>> No.15055096

>>15054263
I don't know about language, but Powell's Writing is an excellent history of writing systems.

>> No.15056212

>>15054903
Thanks!