Lindsey C. (abaisse) reviewed What Language Is: And What It Isn’t and What It Could Be on + 21 more book reviews
I'm pursuing a Master's degree in linguistics, so I can give an expert's perspective on this book. If you're curious about linguistics or interested in any facet of language, you'll enjoy this book. McWhorter packs a huge amount of information into a small space, pulling examples from languages all over the world, from Persian to Russian to Esperanto to Keo. I particularly enjoyed his summary of Navajo and its wacky verbs. His writing style is unique and delightful - he shares Richard Dawkins's gift for explaining complicated topics with fluency and clarity. McWhorter is clearly a brilliant and gifted linguist, yet reading the book feels more like a casual chat over coffee than a professorial lecture. If this is your introduction to the field of linguistics, you may discover you've found a new passion thanks to John McWhorter.
