Empires of the word : a language history of the world / Nicholas Ostler.
An offbeat natural history of language takes readers from the educational and cultural innovators of Sumeria, to the resilience of Chinese, to the global spread of English, in a volume that offers linguistic perspectives on numerous past and present civilizations.
Record details
- ISBN: 0066210860
- ISBN: 9780066210865
- Physical Description: xxi, 615 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm
- Edition: First American edition
- Publisher: New York : HarperCollins Publishers, [2005]
- Copyright: ©2005
Content descriptions
- Bibliography, etc. Note:
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 579-589) and index.
- Formatted Contents Note:
- Part I: The nature of language history -- Themistocles' carpet -- What it takes to be a world language; or, you never can tell -- Part II: Languages by land -- The desert blooms: language innovation in the Middle East -- Triumphs of fertility: Egyptian and Chinese -- Charming like a creeper: the cultured career of Sanskrit -- Three thousand years of solipsism: the adventures of Greek -- Contesting Europe: Celt, Roman, German and Slav -- The first death of Latin -- Part III: Languages by sea -- The second death of Latin -- Usurpers of greatness: Spanish in the New World -- In the train of empire:Europe's languages abroad -- Microcosm or distorting mirror? the career of English -- Part IV: Languages today and tomorrow -- The current top twenty -- Looking ahead.
Search for related items by subject
Available copies
- 9 of 10 copies available at NC Cardinal.
- 1 of 1 copy available at Onslow County Public Library. (Show)
Holds
- 0 current holds with 10 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville Main Library | 409 OST (Text) | 36015000684429 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Canton Library | 409 (Text) | 33115006001306 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| George H. & Laura E. Brown Library | 409 Ost (Text) | 30308100762245 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Haywood County Main Library | 409 Ostler (Text) | 33115006070327 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Lee County Main Library | 409O (Text) | 33262002697768 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Lewisville Branch | 409 O (Text) | 0112515157058 | Adult Nonfiction | In transit | - |
| Lexington Public Library | 409 O (Text) | 25908004718982 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Madison Main Library | 409 OST (Text) | 30229100453652 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| Pack Memorial Library | 409 OST (Text) | 0020506187705 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
| West Asheville Library | 409 OST (Text) | 0020506187739 | Adult Nonfiction | Available | - |
Accessibility Features
Summary:
An offbeat natural history of language takes readers from the educational and cultural innovators of Sumeria, to the resilience of Chinese, to the global spread of English, in a volume that offers linguistic perspectives on numerous past and present civilizations.
