"A Little Book of Language" by David Crystal

This book ranges widely, revealing language’s myriad intricacies and quirks. In animated fashion, Crystal sheds light on the development of unique linguistic styles, the origins of obscure accents, and the search for the first written word. He discusses the plight of endangered languages, as well as successful cases of linguistic revitalization. Much more than a history, Crystal’s work looks forward to the future of language, exploring the effect of technology on our day-to-day reading, writing, and speech.

In this charming volume, a narrative history written explicitly for a young audience, expert linguist David Crystal proves why the story of language deserves retelling.

Through enlightening tables, diagrams, and quizzes, as well as Crystal’s avuncular and entertaining style, A Little Book of Language will reveal the story of language to be a captivating tale for all ages.

Contents
1 Baby-talk
2 From cries to words
3 Learning how to understand
4 Making vibrations
5 Pronouncing sounds
6 Discovering grammar
7 Having a conversation
8 Learning to read and write
9 Getting to grips with spelling
10 Spelling rules and variations
11 Grammar rules and variations
12 Accents and dialects
13 Being bilingual
14 The languages of the world
15 The origins of speech
16 The origins of writing
17 Modern writing
18 Sign language
19 Comparing languages
20 Dying languages
21 Language change
22 Language variation
23 Language at work
24 Slang
25 Dictionaries
26 Etymology
27 Place names
28 Personal names
29 The electronic revolution
30 Texting
31 Language at play
32 Why use language?
33 Language for feelings
34 Political correctness
35 Language in literature
36 Developing a style
37 The complexity of language
38 Linguistics
39 Applied linguistics
40 Your language world
Index