An exciting tour around the rarest languages in the world. From the whistled languages of La Gomera in the Canary Islands and the Hmong in East and Southeast Asia, to the wars and conflicts in Sri Lanka and preservation efforts in Hawaii and New Zealand, Rare Tongues focuses on how languages and cultures are becoming increasingly homogenized and the price we pay as a consequence.

The linguist and author Lorna Gibb explores the history of these languages, the cultures they belong to, and the stories they tell. The languages and efforts made to preserve them offer us insights into what we can learn from them, as well as what they teach us about our planet, medicine, indigenous culture and tradition, and even the history of all humanity.

Simultaneously entertaining and informative, Lorna Gibb presents a case for preserving the rich linguistic diversity of our world and shows why this matters to all of us.

Pages: 352, Dimensions: 15.3x15.3cm