On Language: Descent from the Tower of Babel

by Rod Mengham

A noted poet investigates the origins of language development and how it affected societies and individuals throughout history, analyzing the way cultures are organized around language.

188 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1994

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't add a lot to my language research, but was good confirmation. A little dry and didn't pull from all known sources, but solid info.

[Richard Rogers · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has a few interesting chapters that make for useful and informative reading. It also has a number of dense, seemingly unrelated chapters that surely have meaning for specialists of some type, but not for the average reader interested in language. So much of his evidence for serious points comes from novels that it seems his opinions have more relevance to a fictional world than a real one.

I almost thought he might be toying with the reader with intentional nonsense. But I kept reading, hoping that it would make sense like a puzzle when all put together.

For me--there was no payoff, except to say that I read all the words.