THE ATLAS OF LANGUAGES

A broad overview of languages and language families, with infographic maps and a separate section on sign languages worldwide.

Going continent by continent, this vivacious linguistic tour offers both leafy, spreading language “trees” and, for geographical reference, big maps packed with language names in different sizes to reflect the number of speakers. Lancashire includes copious notes on hundreds of major and minor tongues—often including a proverb or other expression as a sample and taking due notice of creoles, pidgins, and “isolate” languages with no known relatives. While the author acknowledges the pervasive historical influence of colonialism and slavery on many languages, her observations more often adopt a breezy tone. She aptly characterizes the phrase “quod erat demonstrandum” (or QED) as “a Latin mic drop.” The illustrations have their moments, too; Zemanek represents Latin as a literally dead branch on the ground beneath the Indo-European tree. Though only a fraction of what the author estimates as up to 8,500 of the languages spoken, whistled, or signed on our planet earn mentions, this work richly rewards even casual browsing—whether readers are more intrigued by its glimpses of the big language picture or just want to know the Icelandic term for mansplaining. The human figures in the illustrations are racially and culturally diverse.

Witty and wide-ranging.