On the Death and Life of Languages (An Editions Odile Jacob Book) - Hardcover

Hagege (Hag�ge), Claude

3.95

37 ratings by Goodreads

9780300137330: On the Death and Life of Languages (An Editions Odile Jacob Book)

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0300137338 ISBN 13: 9780300137330

Publisher: Yale University Press, 2009

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Twenty-five languages die each year; at this pace, half the world’s five thousand languages will disappear within the next century. In this timely book, Claude Hag�ge seeks to make clear the magnitude of the cultural loss represented by the crisis of language death.

By focusing on the relationship of language to culture and the world of ideas, Hag�ge shows how languages are themselves crucial repositories of culture; the traditions, proverbs, and knowledge of our ancestors reside in the language we use. His wide-ranging examination covers all continents and language families to uncover not only how languages die, but also how they can be revitalized—for example in the remarkable case of Hebrew. In a striking metaphor, Hag�ge likens languages to bonfires of social behavior that leave behind sparks even after they die; from these sparks languages can be rekindled and made to live again.

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About the Author:

Claude Hag�ge is the Chair of Linguistic Theory at the Coll�ge de France in Paris. He is the author of more than fifteen books and the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including the Gold Medal from Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique. Jody Gladding is an award-winning poet and translator, and author of Stone Crop, which appeared in the Yale Younger Poets Series.

Review:

“This book brings forward a French perspective into the global debate on the endangerment of the world's language and cultural heritage. Hag�ge resourcefully shares his thought-provoking analysis of the dynamics in the development of language diversity.”—Matthias Brenzinger, University of Cologne (Matthias Brenzinger)

“With a distinctive and rich approach, Claude Hag�ge—one of today’s most celebrated linguists in France—addresses language endangerment against quite widely drawn historical and geographical backgrounds. This book provides a comprehensive tour d’horizon.”—Nicholas Ostler, Chairman, Foundation for Endangered Languages

(Nicholas Ostler)

"An impressive book on an issue of great importance by a most accomplished linguist. Hag�ge warns that, though there are currently 5,000 languages, by 2100 there will only be 2,500, blaming our indifference as the cause of this catastrophe. He believes that we can—and should—do something to counter this threat. That is, we should not allow languages to die."—Ghil`ad Zuckermann, The University of Queensland, Australia (Ghil`ad Zuckermann)

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