5-Minute Linguist

Caroline Myrick, Walt Wolfram

"The book is intended for non-specialists, an upbeat introduction to language and linguistics for general readers. The chapters are short (three to five pages), suitable for browsing or reading on the move, and its style is intentionally light--more like what used to be called 'fireside chats'--or, somewhat more currently, 'speed-dating events.' In fact, it was born as a series of radio chats called Talkin' About Talk, which in 2005 was part of a celebration of the 'Year of Languages' in the United States. The essays have an informal tone because of the on-air persona of the narrator, a knowledgeable and amiable guide whose task it was to de-mystify the sometimes complex subject of language for a wide range of listeners. Each week the narrator talked about a language-related topic in a relaxed, conversational style for exactly five minutes--thus the title of the book. The third...