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The Language Hoax
John H. McWhorter
€ 16.99
€ 16.63
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Description for The Language Hoax
Paperback. A provocative argument against the idea that we view the world through the lens of the language we speak. Num Pages: 184 pages. BIC Classification: CFB; JFC. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 178 x 127. .
Japanese has a term that covers both green and blue. Russian has separate terms for dark and light blue. Does this mean that Russians perceive these colors differently from Japanese people? Does language control and limit the way we think? This short, opinionated book addresses the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which argues that the language we speak shapes the way we perceive the world. Linguist John McWhorter argues that while this idea is mesmerizing, it is plainly wrong. It is language that reflects culture and worldview, not the other way around. The fact that a language has ... Read more
Japanese has a term that covers both green and blue. Russian has separate terms for dark and light blue. Does this mean that Russians perceive these colors differently from Japanese people? Does language control and limit the way we think? This short, opinionated book addresses the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which argues that the language we speak shapes the way we perceive the world. Linguist John McWhorter argues that while this idea is mesmerizing, it is plainly wrong. It is language that reflects culture and worldview, not the other way around. The fact that a language has ... Read more
Product Details
Publisher
Oxford University Press Inc
Format
Paperback
Publication date
2016
Condition
New
Weight
178g
Number of Pages
208
Place of Publication
New York, United States
ISBN
9780190468897
SKU
V9780190468897
Shipping Time
Usually ships in 4 to 8 working days
Ref
99-2
About John H. McWhorter
John McWhorter is Professor of Linguistics at Columbia University and author of many books, including The Power of Babel: A Natural History of Language, Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold Story of English, and What Language Is, What It Isn't, and What It Could Be. He also writes on language, as well as race and cultural issues, as Contributing Editor ... Read more
Reviews for The Language Hoax
this manifesto is thought-provoking and well-argued reading not only for the general public but also for linguists.
Angela Bartens, Sociolinguistic Studies
The Language Hoax is a well-written and stimulating book that asks uncomfortable questions and turns common arguments on their head. The author uses examples from an impressive number of languages across the globe to provide counter-examples to ... Read more
Angela Bartens, Sociolinguistic Studies
The Language Hoax is a well-written and stimulating book that asks uncomfortable questions and turns common arguments on their head. The author uses examples from an impressive number of languages across the globe to provide counter-examples to ... Read more