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The Story of Human Language
- Narrated by: John McWhorter
- Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins
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Publisher's summary
Language defines us as a species, placing humans head and shoulders above even the most proficient animal communicators. But it also beguiles us with its endless mysteries, allowing us to ponder why different languages emerged, why there isn't simply a single language, how languages change over time and whether that's good or bad, and how languages die out and become extinct. Now you can explore all of these questions and more in an in-depth series of 36 lectures from one of America's leading linguists.
You'll be witness to the development of human language, learning how a single tongue spoken 150,000 years ago evolved into the estimated 6,000 languages used around the world today and gaining an appreciation of the remarkable ways in which one language sheds light on another.
The many fascinating topics you examine in these lectures include: the intriguing evidence that links a specific gene to the ability to use language; the specific mechanisms responsible for language change; language families and the heated debate over the first language; the phenomenon of language mixture; why some languages develop more grammatical machinery than they actually need; the famous hypothesis that says our grammars channel how we think; artificial languages, including Esperanto and sign languages for the deaf; and how word histories reflect the phenomena of language change and mixture worldwide.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
![](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/Audible/en_US/images/creative/PortHoleduke_360x360.png)
Editor's Pick
A whole world of words
"Language is so weird. It can never be fully pinned down, and it evolves in fascinating and unpredictable ways. That’s what makes this course so fun. By examining the evolution of language, Professor John McWhorter elucidates a cross-section of history from a perspective we all take for granted. McWhorter knows all of the factoids behind the factoids, in multiple languages, making this course endlessly entertaining and eye-opening."
—Michael D., Audible Editor
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- Narrated by: Mikael Naramore
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In a rarified world of scientific research, a revolution has been brewing. Its activists are not anarchists, but rather Nobel Laureates in physics and economics and pony-tailed graduates, mathematicians, and computer scientists from all over the world. They have formed an iconoclastic think-tank and their radical idea is to create a new science: complexity. They want to know how a primordial soup of simple molecules managed to turn itself into the first living cell--and what the origin of life some four billion years ago can tell us about the process of technological innovation today.
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You won't learn anything you didn't know
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Call Me Tuesday
- Based on a True Story
- By: Leigh Byrne
- Narrated by: Allyson Ryan
- Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins
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At eight years old, Tuesday Storm's childhood is forever lost when the death of her older sister Audrey sends her family spiraling out of control into the darkest of dysfunction. In the wake of the tragedy, Tuesday's mother, distraught and looking for a scapegoat, singles Tuesday out from her siblings to take on the blame for Audrey's death, and then targets her for unspeakable abuse.
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loved it, so glad she shared her story.
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By: Leigh Byrne
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Medieval Myths & Mysteries
- By: Dorsey Armstrong, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Dorsey Armstrong
- Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins
- Original Recording
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The 10 enlightening (and often humorous) lectures of Medieval Myths and Mysteries will show you how far from the “dark” times of legend these centuries were. Uncover the facts about the Knights Templar. Reveal the truth behind the tales of legendary creatures like the Questing Beast and the unicorn. Trace the events of the Black Death and the ways it altered the world in its wake, and much more. With Professor Armstrong, you will dig deep into the ways that later generations reshaped the narrative of the medieval years and perpetuated the myths.
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Interesting, but centered on Britain
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The Ethical Slut
- A Practical Guide to Polyamory, Open Relationships, & Other Adventures
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For anyone who has ever dreamed of love, sex, and companionship beyond the limits of traditional monogamy, this groundbreaking guide navigates the infinite possibilities that open relationships can offer. Experienced ethical sluts Dossie Easton and Janet W. Hardy dispel myths and cover all the skills necessary to maintain a successful and responsible polyamorous lifestyle.
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The information and advice is 100% totally solid!
- By Troy on 07-28-15
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Eight Dates
- Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love
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Navigating the challenges of long-term commitment takes effort - and it just got simpler, with this empowering, step-by-step guide to communicating about the things that matter most to you and your partner. Drawing on 40 years of research from their world-famous Love Lab, Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman invite couples on eight fun, easy, and profoundly rewarding dates, each one focused on a make-or-break issue: trust, conflict, sex, money, family, adventure, spirituality, and dreams.
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What the F. Robot-reader???!?!?!
- By Anonymous User on 01-21-20
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Backfired: The Vaping Wars
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When two Stanford graduate students set out to create a new kind of cigarette that wouldn’t kill them, they didn’t foresee all the obstacles that lay ahead — or the powerful forces their invention would unleash. Nearly 10 years after the launch of the JUUL, Backfired: The Vaping Wars asks: Could e-cigarettes have been the solution to one of the world’s most pressing public health problems—or was this technology doomed to introduce a whole new generation to nicotine, and end up perpetuating an intractable addiction?
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Thank you…
- By Jay R Ewing on 06-24-24
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Mythology: Mega Collection
- Classic Stories from the Greek, Celtic, Norse, Japanese, Hindu, Chinese, Mesopotamian and Egyptian Mythology
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- Length: 31 hrs and 37 mins
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Do you know how many wives Zeus had? Or how the famous Trojan War was caused by one beautiful lady? Or how Thor got his hammer? Give your imagination a real treat. This Mega Mythology Collection of eight audiobooks is for you....
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An interesting set of introductions.
- By Kevin Potter on 05-30-19
By: Scott Lewis
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Buddhism for Beginners
- By: Thubten Chodron, His Holiness the Dalai Lama - foreword
- Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
- Length: 4 hrs and 43 mins
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This user’s guide to Buddhist basics takes the most commonly asked questions - beginning with “What is the essence of the Buddha’s teachings?” - and provides simple answers in plain English. Thubten Chodron’s responses to the questions that always seem to arise among people approaching Buddhism make this an exceptionally complete and accessible introduction - as well as a manual for living a more peaceful, mindful, and satisfying Life.
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Amazing introduction to Buddhism
- By chad d on 07-02-15
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The Complete Book of Five Rings
- By: Miyamoto Musashi, Kenji Tokitsu - editor/translator
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The Complete Book of Five Rings is an authoritative version of Musashi's classic The Book of Five Rings, translated and annotated by a modern martial arts master, Kenji Tokitsu. Tokitsu has spent most of his life researching the legendary samurai swordsman and his works, and in this book he illuminates this seminal text, along with several other works by Musashi.
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Best translation I have encountered.
- By DW on 05-27-16
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Ho Tactics
- How to MindF**k a Man into Spending, Spoiling, and Sponsoring
- By: G. L. Lambert
- Narrated by: Patrick Stevens
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
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I have discovered a group of women who refuse to be exploited, are immune to manipulation, and who never settle in the name of love. These ladies know what they want and take what they want by beating men at their own game. Utilizing the secrets exposed in this book, these women gain power, money, and status. Men call them gold diggers, women call them hos, but they call themselves winners. This is the book that society doesn't want you to listen to….
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I spent $24,000 in 4 months
- By B.M. on 10-06-18
By: G. L. Lambert
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Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue
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A survey of the quirks and quandaries of the English language, focusing on our strange and wonderful grammar. Why do we say "I am reading a catalog" instead of "I read a catalog"? Why do we say "do" at all? Is the way we speak a reflection of our cultural values? Delving into these provocative topics and more, Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue distills hundreds of years of fascinating lore into one lively history.
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Great for casual linguists
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What listeners say about The Story of Human Language
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Robert Lincoln Cantrell
- 04-20-19
Engaging, witty, and deeply informative!
I've listened to several of the Great Courses, and this is, by far, the most intriguing and engaging course I've heard to this point. John McWhorter brings his vast knowledge of language, and more than a dash of dry, ironic humor to the course, giving the listener not only a deeper sense of the nature and structure of language, but a damn good time as well. Very informative and entertaining. I will look for more Great Courses by Dr. McWhorter.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Claudio B. Kerber
- 11-20-14
Worth every minute
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
I would recommend it to friends interested in understanding the natural processes involving languages evolution.
What did you like best about this story?
I was able to understand how languages develop, merge and branch and things like "a language is a dialect with an army and borders".
Which character – as performed by Professor John McWhorter – was your favorite?
The professor himself. His analogies with his own life and metaphors are great.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Yes, many times I was surprised about how things got to be the way they are. My mother tongue is portuguese and I always wondered, for example, how it came to remain beautiful and "complicated" while english became this easy ugly language we all love to use.
Any additional comments?
I also read "Myths, Lies, and Half-Truths of Language Usage" also a great book. It is nice to read both, but they have a huge overlap but the former is english centric.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Arjunlal
- 09-05-18
John McWhorter is amazing!
This is among the best of 'The Great Courses'. You'd never look at languages, accents and dialects the same way as you did before listening to this course. 'It is super interesting' is an understatement.
Mr.McWhorter has an enthusiastic and lively narration style and it engages you! I am an engineer who picked up this audiobook because the topic interested me and I have always been fascinated about how many languages are similar. After listening to this, I am a linguistics fan now. I have already started listening to another course on languages by Professor John.
The content is well structured, detailed and not just touching upon theoretical topics. Mr.McWhorter cites examples for everything that he's presenting and also presents both sides of the arguments on areas of contention.
Its a great listen!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Mountain Biking
- 12-06-18
Very interesting
Really enjoyed this audio, very informative, although a more history and perhaps some more phonetics
And little to say about modern English
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- Kristine G.
- 03-19-19
Interesting material, great delivery
Language changes and evolutions are so interesting to me. John McWhorter is so knowledgeable and his voice is so upbeat and friendly. This course was very interesting.
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- Dave B
- 05-17-21
Very Good
I've listened to a few of Professor McWhorter's lecture series and I really enjoy his style and presentation. He gives a tremendous amount of information in this lecture course so be prepared to learn, learn, learn.
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- Cliente de Amazon
- 03-18-20
Even for linguists, it’s great!
I eork in the field of Applied Linguistics, and this book has helped me review conceps and ideas, while enjoying the surhor’s erudition and playful sense of humor.
It gave me great ideas to teach my students about languages.
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- Kathryn
- 08-03-17
Fascinating & entertaining
The lecturer clearly knew his topic extremely well, and managed to share an incredible amount of information while keeping it approachable. His lectures were entertaining and engaging. He broadened the scope well beyond English and Indo-European languages, touching the course a great diverse perspective. I highly recommend to anyone interested in language!
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- Bernie Cullen
- 03-23-14
Important lectures
What made the experience of listening to The Story of Human Language the most enjoyable?
It explained much of what I did not understand about language and its evolution. These new concepts will enable me to piece together my other historical interests and the complexities of ancient civilizations.
Any additional comments?
There are some points with which I do not totally agree. I believe there is more to animal languages than the professor (eg. songs of whales) and I would have been interested in hearing more thoughts about the written word (though that is a subject for an additional set of lectures). But this is excellent overall.
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- Some Body
- 07-18-18
Fantastic introduction to understanding language
Exploring topics From animal "language" to the life cycle of human languages to invented languages, you will never look at language the same way again.
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