A unique round-the-world journey through the acquaintance with the 20 dominant languages. Why did the tiny Portugal give birth to a global language, while the same did not happen with the also colonial Netherlands? Why do women in Japan speak differently than men, and what does it mean that Russian "relates" to English? How do writing systems that do not have an alphabet, like those of India and China, do the same job as the 26 letters of the English alphabet?

Combining linguistics and cultural history, Gaston Dorren invites us on an enjoyable tour of the world of the 20 languages with the most speakers. With humor and lively narration, he delves into their peculiarities, simultaneously debunking common misconceptions. He identifies their origins and, in some cases, their bloody histories, deciphers the chaotic writing systems, while showcasing the gems and gaps in their vocabularies.

A journey that reveals not only the reasons for their dominance but mainly their wealth and diversity. Each one is a whole world…. Babel is not a story of sounds and words but of continents and empires; because language is power and, at times, a matter of life and death.

The Times An exciting guide- ode to linguistic variety and multilingualism. Guardian An accessible and entertaining dive into the dominant languages of the world from a charismatic linguist and persuasive author. BookBrowse