{"product_id":"rare-tongues-the-secret-stories-of-hidden-languages-hardcover","title":"Rare Tongues: The Secret Stories of Hidden Languages - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eLorna Gibb\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn enthralling tour of the world's rarest and most endangered languages\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eLanguages and cultures are becoming increasingly homogenous, with the resulting loss of a rich linguistic tapestry reflecting unique perspectives and ways of life. \u003ci\u003eRare Tongues\u003c\/i\u003e tells the stories of the world's rare and vanishing languages, revealing how each is a living testament to human resilience, adaptability, and the perennial quest for identity. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eTaking readers on a captivating journey of discovery, Lorna Gibb explores the histories of languages under threat or already extinct as well as those in resurgence, shedding light on their origins, development, and distinctive voices. She travels the globe--from Australia and Finland to India, the Canary Islands, Namibia, Scotland, and Paraguay--showing how these languages are not mere words and syntax but keepers of diverse worldviews, sites of ethnic conflict, and a means for finding surprising commonalities. Readers learn the basics of how various language systems work--with vowels and consonants, whistles and clicks, tonal inflections, or hand signs--and how this kaleidoscope of self-expression carries vital information about our planet, indigenous cultures and tradition, and the history and evolution of humankind. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eRare Tongues\u003c\/i\u003e is essential reading for anyone concerned about the preservation of endangered languages and an eloquent and disarmingly personal meditation on why the world's linguistic heritage is so fundamental to our shared experience--and why its loss should worry us all.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLorna Gibb\u003c\/b\u003e is associate professor of creative writing and linguistics at the University of Stirling. Her books include \u003ci\u003eThe Extraordinary Life of Rebecca West\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eLady Hester: Queen of the East\u003c\/i\u003e, and the novel \u003ci\u003eA Ghost's Story\u003c\/i\u003e. Her writing has appeared in leading publications such as \u003ci\u003eGranta\u003c\/i\u003e and the \u003ci\u003eTelegraph\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 352\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.3 x 8.6 x 5.8 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e April 22, 2025\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53336799117677,"sku":"9780691274171","price":36.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1001\/0823\/9213\/files\/kDdvCt7Z_R9780691274171.webp?v=1778918701","url":"https:\/\/cleanfreaklab.myshopify.com\/products\/rare-tongues-the-secret-stories-of-hidden-languages-hardcover","provider":"Clean Freak Lab","version":"1.0","type":"link"}