Language Death (Hardcover)

by David Crystal (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Gauging that half of the world's estimated 6000 languages are threatened with extinction in the next 100 years, Crystal (editor, Cambridge Encyclopedia) explains why this is problematic and what can be done about it. He analyzes statistics that indicate the number of dying languages, explains the physical and cultural pressures contributing to language death, and cites bi- and multilingualism as the key to maintaining linguistic diversity. He also appeals to multiculturalism, noting the unique contributions linguistic diversity makes to both the arts and the sciences. Moreover, Crystal provides six characteristics of successful language maintenance efforts, which ideally combine literacy and education with improving the economic and political standing of the minority-language community. This well-documented book serves best as a starting point for further research. Not listed in the bibliography are two related books also being published this year: in Vanishing Voices (LJ 6/15/00), Daniel Nettle and Suzanne Romaine examine the current domination of a few languages and provide economic and ecological motivation to support linguistic diversity, while editor Joshua Fishman's forthcoming Can Threatened Languages Be Saved? (Multilingual Matters, 2000) contains case studies about a number of languages. Recommended for academic and larger public libraries.DMarianne Orme, West Lafayette, IN
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
'... this work is directed at anyone with an interest in humanities and a concern about our future as mankind. Its wealth of information, observation and analysis enlightens the mind and invigorates the spirit of community and identity.' Language International'

'This is the most personal and passionate of the many excellent books that Crystal has written in the past two decades.' Times Higher Education Supplement

'David Crystal [is] the most charismatic lexicographer since Dr Johnson.' Boyd Tonkin, Independent

'A serious study of why so many languages across the world are dying.' Hasan Suroor, The Hindu

Professor David Crystal, a linguistics expert, whose book Language Death examines the prospects for 3,000 endangered languages.' in an article on Celtic languages.' Independent on Sunday

'Fascinating to the specialist and non-specialist alike, this is an important book which puts across its point in clear accessible prose.' Contemporary Review

'... inspiring by its inexhaustible optimism and its firm belief that something can and should be done ...'. Asian and African Studies

'Thanks to his skilful deployment of statistics, his book brings out starkly the scale of language loss that we are currently experiencing ...'. The Linguist

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (June 26, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521653215
• ISBN-13: 978-0521653213
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,157,890 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

53 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very readable, impassioned, scholarly, accessible to public, October 24, 2000

By	Pete Unseth (Duncanville, TX USA) - See all my reviews

Crystal has done a difficult job well: he has produced a scholarly book about the "death" of languages that is readable by non-linguists, but also useful to linguists. "Language death" means that the last speakers of a language die, leaving nobody alive who knows and uses the language.

Just as many people are actively involved in preserving species from extinction, Crystal argues that preserving languages is also important. He argues clearly and passionately for the value of every language, however small its population. Each language is part of mankind's intellectual accomplishment; as we lose each language, we lose some of our collective humanity.

I was disappointed that Crystal does not credit the work of missionaries in stimulating ethnic awareness and promoting literacy among many minority language groups, rather mentioning only cases where they have been detrimental to language use (though he does not document any such cases).

The book is highly readable, the topic is timely, the price is reasonable: read the book.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It Simply MUST Be Read!, January 5, 2004

By	LostBoy76 (Vancouver, BC Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Language Death (Paperback)

I think that this is an extremely important book that should be read by politicians and concerned citizens in every country around the world. The mass extinction of languages that is occurring, and will continue to occur, from now on is a terrible tragedy in every respect. This book seeks to enlighten the reader by giving reasons why languages die, why people should be so concerned, and suggests ways to keep minority languages alive and well. The thought that more than 50% of the world's six thousand or so languages are going to die by the year 2100 should be enough to get many people motivated about preserving languages (and cultures), but the word needs to get out. That's why a book like this is so vitally important. Governments, as a general rule, need a good shove when it comes to projects like saving languages, which some cynics would dismiss as trivial or a luxury. The simple, straightforward manner in which this book is presented can be read and appreciated by anyone, not just linguists. What I liked very much about the book was that it never went overboard in blaming the so-called "language killers" like English, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, and German. It offered concrete answers and laid a good portion of the blame on the people themselves, not just their oppressors. Incidentally, English is unique in that it is actually killing the other "language killers" in addition to minority languages, and (if current trends continue) may be the only language left on Earth by the year 2500!!

A book like this has a particular resonance for me because I have been studying Irish Gaelic for the last six months and I am determined to be fluent in the language within the next couple of years. But Irish is a threatened language that has less than fifty thousand fluent speakers worldwide, and the forecast is not good for the language unless something drastic is done in Ireland. A strong majority of the Irish people want the language to thrive, but government incompetence, underfunding, and English encroachment even into the Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking areas) are still happening. It makes me so sad and angry that this problem isn't being given due concern! And this only my particular situation; the story is the same for so many other languages! Unless people start taking action and making an effort (reading a book like "Language Death" is an excellent start to get an idea of what's at stake), the voices of so many of our ancestors will disappear in the coming century.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Are you bilingual? This book will make you think., September 5, 2003

By	readymade (New England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Language Death (Paperback)

I originally ordered this book because I was curious about extinct languages, people that decrypt and study them. None of it I've found in this book, which I don't regret since the book is about something more important. I would say this book focuses on social processes that make language death possible and makes many valid points on why it is bad. Indeed, a language dies only because people speaking it abandon it in favour of another language. And this they do because they abandon their culture in favour of a "domination culture". The book unveils how it's all tied together. Quite an eye-opener.

Eveything that Crystal writes about in this book will make perfect sense to anyone who lives away from home in a different country or just actively uses a second language in everyday life. Very insightful book. And the price is just a joke!