Language Families of the World
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3 months free
Language Families of the World
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Narrated by:
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John McWhorter
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Written by:
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John McWhorter
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The Great Courses
About this listen
Language, in its seemingly infinite varieties, tells us who we are and where we come from. Many linguists believe that all of the world’s languages - over 7,000 currently - emerged from a single prehistoric source. While experts have not yet been able to reproduce this proto-language, most of the world’s current languages can be traced to various language families that have branched and divided, spreading across the globe with migrating humans and evolving over time.
The ability to communicate with the spoken word is so prevelant that we have yet to discover a civilization that does not speak. The fitful preservation of human remains throughout history has made tracing the ultimate origin of sophisticated human cultures difficult, but it is assumed that language is at least 300,000 years old. With so much time comes immense change - including the development of the written word. There’s no doubt that over centuries, numerous languages have been born, thrived, and died. So how did we get here, and how do we trace the many language branches back to the root?
In Language Families of the World, Professor John McWhorter of Columbia University takes you back through time and around the world, following the linguistic trails left by generations of humans that lead back to the beginnings of language. Utilizing historical theories and cutting-edge research, these 34 astonishing lectures will introduce you to the major language families of the world and their many offspring, including a variety of languages that are no longer spoken but provide vital links between past and present.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2019 The Great Courses (P)2019 The Teaching Company, LLCWhat listeners say about Language Families of the World
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 2019-07-28
Lecturer is quite a character!
I actually liked his inside jokes and personal references - although a bit off sidetrack at times but nevertheless it made listening to his lectures fun.
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8 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Can
- 2020-06-29
5-stars with a catch
First and foremost this is absolutely an amazing resource for language enthusiasts. If you are into the topic, go ahead and start enjoying it.
The catch is that this is such massive topic and the series contains incomplete info which can lead to inaccurate conclusions about the function/use of Ottoman Turkish in its era. Ottoman Turkish being a hybrid language of was never spoken by the population. The way it’s presented in this book sounds like people in Turkey used to speak Ottoman Turkish. The truth is it was only used in the palace and among The Istanbul elite.
Also sekiz means eight, not seven.
Overall, this is a great audiobook. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who likes the topic.
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4 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- A
- 2022-05-18
Excellent
Loved it.
The speaker was interesting, cheeky at times, and engaging.
Not something I can memorize trivia from easily, but it certainly provides greater insight.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mark F Sperring
- 2021-02-14
mark f sperring
I like his blend of humor, information and passion for the topic. He doesn't get into the minutia to the point I'm lost but I still felt informed.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ian villanueva
- 2021-03-03
lingua franca
This was fantastic.
I'm looking forward to listening to it again.
well done to all who made this.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Josh Pratt
- 2019-09-15
Interesting lecture series
The lecturer was engrossing. His passion for the subject is obvious and he manages to keep what could be very dry material interesting and fun. Worth the listen.
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7 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Carol Leadbeater
- 2020-03-04
Prof McWhorter is fantastic!
I am so happy I bought this Course. I have little background in languages but a lot of interest. The content itself is interesting BUT it's the Professor that absolutely makes this Course.
I have laughed out loud often at his quips. He's interesting and engaging, the stories to elaborate the examples are fantastic, and I thoroughly enjoyed every time he did an impression. I can only imagine how fantastic his university classes must be.
if you have any interest in how languages have evolved, I absolutely recommend this as a fun way to learn.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2023-10-28
When you take toast and make pie ... that is this
A book like this should be about as dry as toast and tasteless as a pack of saltine crackers. Instead the narrator is amazing, a dash of this, an anecdote here, a personal reference here and you have a collage course if presented in real life would be full, bubbling and engaging every night. Instead this book has baked it into an audio pie. I wish every lecturer was like this. As for the subject, if you like knowing how the world got to be the way it is, in the terms of languages this book is for you!!!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Ania Mokrzec
- 2021-07-28
Amazing listen!
I have to say, John is not only a fantastic prof, but one with amazing sense of humor. Not only is this course a great learning experience, John had me in stitches frin start to finish. Looking forward to hearing more from John.
Hard to get bored!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nadyne Tremblay
- 2019-09-26
Sujet et orateur parfaits
C'est avec un peu de tristesse que j'ai terminé d'écouter "Language families of the world". J'ai appris une quantité astronomique de choses, j'ai ri et ai été intéressée par tous les chapitres. Je dois admettre que c'est seulement le deuxième linguiste que j'aime (Henriette Walter étant la première).
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4 people found this helpful