On the Death and Life of Languages

by Claude Hagège, Jody Gladding (Translator)

Twenty-five languages die each year; at this pace, half the world’s five thousand languages will disappear within the next century. In this timely book, Claude Hagège seeks to make clear the magnitude of the cultural loss represented by the crisis of language death. By focusing on the relationship of language to culture and the world of ideas, Hagège shows how languages are themselves crucial repositories of culture; the traditions, proverbs, and knowledge of our ancestors reside in the language we use. His wide-ranging examination covers all continents and language families to uncover not only how languages die, but also how they can be revitalized—for example in the remarkable case of Hebrew. In a striking metaphor, Hagège likens languages to bonfires of social behavior that leave behind sparks even after they die; from these sparks languages can be rekindled and made to live again.

Genres: Linguistics, Nonfiction, France

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Rob Sheppard · Rating 3 out of 5]

My thoughts on this book are pretty scattered, since, despite its comically absurd chaptering and subchaptering and sub-subchaptering, the book doesn't feel very well organized. There is clearly a whole lot of rigor in Hagege's process; he lists example after obscure example demonstrating different types of language death. Yet we get the feeling at times that he is trying to impose order on something far too chaotic to explain. He dwells on the concept of a language's "prestige" as a factor in its survival, and, while his meaning is fairly clear, there are so many exceptions and flukes that the concept of "prestige" seems to be defined almost circularly. Why do languages die? They lack prestige. What is prestige? The thing that keeps people speaking a language. I'm exaggerating of course, but prestige doesn't have quite the explanatory power that Hagege thinks it does. There are some fascinating passages to be found here, though: mostly anecdotes about unusual languages and especially the lengthy history of Hebrew. Hagege is, obviously, concerned about death of languages. He would have us think of them as living species on the brink of extinction. This seems to be more that just a metaphor for him, and Hagege uses this idea to drag language death into the realm of morality at several points. Of course, for him, English is a mass-murderer, and he makes no secret of that. The polemical conclusion rings absurdly anglophobic, but then again, I'm just a cog in the machinery killing off thousands of languages per second in Papua New Guinea.

[Mely Barragan · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Las lenguas, almas sin límites y sin contornos, son reflejos del infinito".

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative! I learned about stuff that I never knew about before, such as the history of Hebrew and its revival as a spoken language in the nineteenth century. Hagège even discusses the conflicts faced by Eliezer Ben-Yehuda & other revivalists, which offered an interesting glimpse of the differing viewpoints on Jewish culture & identity at that time. He also discussed some other revitalization programs for indigenous languages around the world, some of which I was familiar with (e.g. the "language nests" for learning Maori in New Zealand). overall, a very interesting book, which I'd recommend for anyone interested in linguistics, languages, and language endangerment!

[Abs Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

who is bro trying to impress with the first few chapters???
he sounds like it's his semester final paper and he's fighting for his life tryna get an A at 11pm an hour before it's due
other than that I'm a fan of what I was able to understand

[ALaura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poetic af al za faks je 🥱

[Lourdes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una lengua que muere es una cultura que se apaga. Un modo irrepetible de concebir lo real y de fabricar la cotidianeidad que se extingue para siempre. Y entonces se encoge el mundo: las marvillosas riqueza y creatividad de la especie humana se ven empobrecidas irremediablemente.

Triste. Así es leer una parte de este libro, con sus melancólicas precisiones sobre las lenguas perdidas. Pero la voluntad del autor no se agota en una patética necrológica. Su objetivo es que los lectores (académicos o no) tomen conciencia de la ruidosa respiración de la lengua que los envuelve amorosamente en sus pliegues, desde que nacen. Que valoren su propio idioma. Y, sobre todo, que valoren el de los otros. Porque la mayor riqueza y arma de subsistencia de cada pueblo, aún de los más pequeños y desposeídos, es la palabra. Esa cosa viva y palpitante, que expresa las necesidades, la identidad, los valores y el modo de ser de quienes se sirven de ella.

En un lenguaje muy ameno, Hagège expone estas cuestiones y delinea, minucioso, la situación actual de los idiomas en el mundo. También se interesa por las causas de los frecuentes decesos lingüísticos y por los procesos hegemónicos de imposición de las lenguas prestigiosas, como el inglés y el español, en desmedro de los numerosísimos dialectos indígenas que existen en el planeta.

La Tierra es enorme y el ser humano, infinitamente múltiple y creativo. Para comprobarlo basta con mirar en derredor y escuchar. Y, por qué no, con perderse en los susurrantes vericuetos de este libro.

[Shinynickel]

Off this review:

On the Death and Life of Language
By Claude Hagege, trans. Jody Gladding (Yale University Press)
Languages are among the most powerful expressions of culture, recording our histories, beliefs, and behaviors, yet more than 25 go extinct each year. These “deaths” need not be permanent, though, if dedicated scholars and willing potential speakers exist, says Hagege, the chair of linguistic theory at the Colle[è:]ge de France. Hebrew was resuscitated in the first half of the 20th century, starting with a single family that spoke only Hebrew in the home. Cornish, now up to 1,000 speakers, is a much smaller (but similarly vigorous) success. Hagege’s meticulous, engrossing study of the life, death, and rebirth of tongues is a hopeful reminder that failing languages can be saved.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

For language lovers, this book provides an endless supply of interesting facts and hypotheses about how and why we speak the way we do. The encyclopedic quality of some parts may not appeal to everyone, bur I found it fascinating. I have gotten lots of mileage out of some tidbits; for example, did Julius Caesar really say "Et tu, Brute," and what did he mean?

[Agustín · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is extremely academic, and honestly, very dry. However, if you're interested in the subject, this book is great. Not that I've read myriads of books on language endangerment, but I've never read one besides this one that is so comprehensive. If you take your time and read this book, you'll know practically everything there is to know on the subject.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not for the breezy reader, but I enjoyed it completely ... Hagège covers all bases and topics on how languages develop, evolve and die in a sophisticated and intelligent manner... and bring your reading glasses , this hardcover edition must be using a 8 or 9 point font !

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comprehensive but a bit rambly.