Author:Mark Abley
Half the world's languages are threatened with extinction over the next century, as English and the rest of the world's top twenty languages drive all before them. What ways of looking at the world will die along with them, what cultural riches, what experiences, histories and memories? And how does it feel to be one of the last remaining speakers of a language that is on its way to extinction? What chance is there of saving any of these languages? Is it feasible in the long term or even worthwhile?
Mark Abley's journeys among the speakers of languages at the brink takes him to aboriginal Australia (where he meets the last surviving fluent male speaker of Mati Ke, who cannot speak to the only other fluent speaker, as she is his sister and in their culture it is forbidden to speak to siblings once one has reached puberty) and to American Indian reservations, as well as to places where the languages are fighting back - Wales, the Faeroe islands, the Isle of Man - whilst also charting the triumphant return of Hebrew.
Riveting... learned, thought-provoking, bouncing with ideas, yet funny and wry... Inspiring
—— IndependentA fascinating and addictive book. It is more than that: it is a lucid, often eloquent journey through the crumbling linguistic foundations of humanity
—— Daily TelegraphUnusually penetrating and astute
—— SpectatorAn essential read
—— GuardianPowerful and important... Compelling'
—— Sunday TimesHeffer's polemic in favour of grammatical precision is an important and persuasive one
—— ChoiceAnyone who writes for a living, or who wants to write well, could benefit from a few hours spent with Heffer's amusing and clearly organised book
—— Literary ReviewA fascinating...very readable study of the mysterious art and business of translation...Bellos asks big questions...and comes up with often surprising answers...sparky, thought-provoking
—— NigenessForget the fish-it's David Bellos you want in your ear when the talk is about translation. Bellos dispels many of the gloomy truisms of the trade and reminds us what an infinitely flexible instrument the English language (or any language) is. Sparkling, independent-minded analysis of everything from Nabokov's insecurities to Google Translate's felicities fuels a tender-even romantic-account of our relationship with words.
—— —NATASHA WIMMER, translator of Roberto Bolaño’s Savage Detectives and 2666Is That a Fish in Your Ear? offers a lively survey of translating puns and poetry, cartoons and legislation, subtitles, news bulletins and the Bible
—— Matthew Reisz , Times Higher Education SupplementPlease read David Bellos's brilliant book
—— Michael Hofmann , GuardianA clear and lively survey...This book fulfils a real need; there is nothing quite like it.
—— Robert Chandler , SpectatorIn his marvellous study of the nature of translation...[David Bellos] has set out to make it fun...Essential reading for anyone with even a vague interest in language and translation - in short, it is a triumph
—— Shaun Whiteside , IndependentA dazzyingly inventive book
—— Adam Thirlwell , New York TimesWitty and perceptive...stimulating, lucid, ultimately cheering
—— Theo Dorgan , Irish TimesSuperbly smart, supremely shrewd
—— Carlin Romano , The Chronicle ReviewSelected as a National Book Critics' Circle Award Criticism Finalist 2011
—— NBCCPersonal and affectionate tribute
—— Sally Morris , Daily MailAffectionate, familial tribute to this many-sided man.
—— The Catholic Herald
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