We use language all day, every day - probably without thinking much about it. But if you stop and consider it, language is not only extremely important, it's fascinating too! Use of language is one of the key things distinguishing humans from other animals, and nearly 7,000 languages are spoken around the world. Without it, we'd be hard pressed to communicate, express ourselves, or understand others. The Book of Languages begins with an introduction to why language is important, how it originated and how it changes. From there, the book profiles 21 of the world's languages. Each spread showcases a language's history, where it's spoken, what it looks like and how to speak a few phrases and count to ten.

Includes index.