Speak Not

Empire, Identity and the Politics of Language

Speak Not
James Griffiths
RRP:
NZ$ 44.00
Our Price:
NZ$ 35.20
Hardback
h234 x 156mm - 264pg
21 Oct 2021 UK
International import eta 10-19 days
9781786999696
Out Of Stock
Currently no stock in-store, stock is sourced to your order
As globalisation continues languages are disappearing faster than ever, leaving our planet' s linguistic diversity leaping towards extinction. The science of how languages are acquired is becoming more advanced and the internet is bringing us new ways of teaching the next generation, however it is increasingly challenging for minority languages to survive in the face of a handful of hegemonic ' super-tongues' . In Speak Not, James Griffiths reports from the frontlines of the battle to preserve minority languages, from his native Wales, Hawaii and indigenous American nations, to southern China and Hong Kong. He explores the revival of the Welsh language as a blueprint for how to ensure new generations are not robbed of their linguistic heritage, outlines how loss of indigenous languages is the direct result of colonialism and globalisation and examines how technology is both hindering and aiding the fight to prevent linguistic extinction. Introducing readers to compelling characters and examining how indigenous communities are fighting for their languages, Griffiths ultimately explores how languages hang on, what happens when they don' t, and how indigenous tongues can be preserved and brought back from the brink.
As languages throughout the world continue to disappear at an alarming rate, James Griffiths' book could not be more relevant. Focusing mainly on the historical trajectories of Welsh, Hawaiian and Cantonese, Griffiths chronicles the contentious and often bloody struggles faced by these languages, weaving the strands of history, culture and linguistics into a fascinating and highly readable narrative. Languages die for many reasons, but the book' s central message is that language demise is not merely the natural consequence of modernization and mass media, but is often the result of a calculated authoritarian strategy that sees a common language as a guarantor of political unity. Speak Not is not merely a lament at the loss of the planet' s linguistic diversity, but is also a positive record of how the courage and perseverance of beleaguered language communities can preserve and even revive their native tongues. * David Moser, author of "A Billion Voices: China' s Search for a Common Language" * Speak Not is a beautifully narrated and intensely smart global history of how languages are destroyed. From Hong Kong to Wales, Hawaii to South Africa, Griffiths artfully guides us through intimate stories of people fighting over decades, often in vain, to protect their linguistic heritage and identities, stories that, when taken together, reveal an oft-unexplored aspect of the "disasters wrought" by colonialism, nationalism, and global inequality. Yet within Griffiths powerful critique of language destruction is a story of hope: a glimpse into a world in which language revitalization is possible. * Dr. Gina Anne Tam, Trinity University, San Antonio, USA *
James Griffiths is Asia Correspondent at the Globe and Mail, currently based in Hong Kong. He was previously a senior producer at CNN International, where he reported on the ground from Hong Kong, China, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. He is the author of The Great Firewall of China (Zed Books, 2021).
Status: Active
ISBN-13: 9781786999696
Published: 21 Oct 2021
Published In: United Kingdom
Imprint: Zed Books
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Format: Hardback
Height: 234mm
Width: 156mm
Pages: 264

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