The Story of Human Language
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
£0.99/mo for the first 3 months
Prime members: New to Audible? Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
The Story of Human Language
Buy Now for £30.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
John McWhorter
About this listen
Language defines us as a species, placing humans head and shoulders above even the most proficient animal communicators. But it also beguiles us with its endless mysteries, allowing us to ponder why different languages emerged, why there isn't simply a single language, how languages change over time and whether that's good or bad, and how languages die out and become extinct. Now you can explore all of these questions and more in an in-depth series of 36 lectures from one of America's leading linguists.
You'll be witness to the development of human language, learning how a single tongue spoken 150,000 years ago evolved into the estimated 6,000 languages used around the world today and gaining an appreciation of the remarkable ways in which one language sheds light on another.
The many fascinating topics you examine in these lectures include: the intriguing evidence that links a specific gene to the ability to use language; the specific mechanisms responsible for language change; language families and the heated debate over the first language; the phenomenon of language mixture; why some languages develop more grammatical machinery than they actually need; the famous hypothesis that says our grammars channel how we think; artificial languages, including Esperanto and sign languages for the deaf; and how word histories reflect the phenomena of language change and mixture worldwide.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
©2004 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2004 The Great CoursesListeners also enjoyed...
Editor reviews
What listeners say about The Story of Human Language
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Thomas
- 04-11-15
Excellent run through of linguistics
Fantastic series on linguistics with a knowledgeable and witty lecturer. Highly recommended for anyone vaguely interested in the subject area
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Gearoid McG
- 18-10-16
Excellent
Loved this series. Excellent layout, and pace, and Prof McWhorter keeps it light hearted and entertaining
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Saemelie
- 14-07-20
Fascinating with humour
A really deep dive and globally connected story of language that teaches you a few key principles that apply to our many languages..in a complex weave of human connection.
However this must be updated with politically correct and non offensive language in terms of Black Lives Matter - and review references to slavery etc.
Excellent and brilliant speaker - with such memorable entertaining quips throughout - great Human performance. Would have loved him to be my lecturer!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ms
- 15-01-18
Entertaining, interesting and informative
Any additional comments?
This lecturer is very relaxed and natural in his presentation and succeeds in make his linguistics series very interesting as well as informative (and I have limited interest in languages). Extra light relief was (accidentally) provided by his stabs at British regional accents and dialects.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ekaterina Alexandrova
- 13-07-17
Very engaging performance
The phenomenon of human languages explored from different perspectives. Performance is great - with humor and otherwise very lively, not a lecture but really a very interesting story.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Valetta
- 14-09-24
An Intriguing Story Full of Humour
John McWhorter's presentation and sense of humour is fantastic. This was so interesting and entertaining. I had no idea that languages are actually in constant flux. I had no idea of the varieties of form, sound, and grammar. A real revelation.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dan
- 11-03-16
Absolutely fascinating and very accessible
John McWhorter is a pleasure to listen to as he skillfully entertains and teaches the audience. While linguistics is a highly technical subject, he explains complex ideas in simple terms, and often with nice anecdotes to add colour. Highly recommended!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Debi J
- 18-06-18
So sad I finished it
Prof McWhorter is a genius, fun, eloquent and slightly crackers. In the best possible way.
I have to say that this course delivered so much more than I expected. Yes, it covered all sorts of fascinating facts about human language - and was not too Euro-centric, which was refreshing. A real eye-opener in how languages are related around the world, how they evolved - and are still evolving, and the quirks and oddities in our modern languages. If you are interested in language then this course will hit the spot.
Very informative and definitely worth listening to.
But Prof McWhorter is the real reason this course is one of the best I have ever listened to. At first, I was raising my eyebrows and thinking "Hmm, he is a bit erratic sounding, will I like this". But before long I was hooked. His obvious enthusiasm shines out and brings this all to life. I suspect he ad-libs a bit. Sometimes things get dropped in that made me laugh out loud. At one point I am sure I heard the recording crew laughing too. What's with the broccoli? And as for the dog on the Titanic - I had to pause to recompose myself.
Since finishing this one, I have purchased other courses by Prof McWhorter, as well as listening to him on YouTube and other sources. Totally a fan-girl now. Prof McWhorter, you rock. Thank you for 18 hours and 15 minutes of fascinating, informative, exciting human language history.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mirzhan Irkegulov
- 21-04-19
Funny and insightful
John McWhorter is quite good, I loved the lecture series. It mainly talks about the change that languages undergo over time, and mostly illustrates with Indo-European languages, although there are examples of many obscure languages from around the world.
It meshes well with playing Pokémon GO.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Dorothy & Joe Yeomans
- 21-09-19
Fascinating story, well told
Despite totalling eighteen this remained an interesting listen, full of new facts and ideas. Thoroughly recommended!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!