Background
Janson, Tore was born on February 12, 1936 in Stockholm. Son of Tage and Signe (Sundberg) Janson.
(This book is a history of human speech from prehistory to...)
This book is a history of human speech from prehistory to the present. It charts the rise of some languages and the fall of others, explaining why some survive and others die. It shows how languages change their sounds and meanings, and how the history of languages is closely linked to the history of peoples. Writing in a lively, readable style, distinguished Swedish scholar Tore Janson makes no assumptions about previous knowledge. He takes the reader on a voyage of exploration through the changing patterns of the world's languages, from ancient China to ancient Egypt, imperial Rome to imperial Britain, Sappho's Lesbos to contemporary Africa. He discovers the links between the histories of societies and their languages; he shows how language evolved from primitive calls; he considers the question of whether one language can be more advanced than another. The author describes the history of writing and the impact of changing technology. He ends by assessing the prospects for English world domination and predicting the languages of the distant future. Five historical maps illustrate this fascinating history of our defining characteristic and most valuable asset.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0199263418/?tag=2022091-20
Janson, Tore was born on February 12, 1936 in Stockholm. Son of Tage and Signe (Sundberg) Janson.
Master of Arts, Stockholm University, 1958. Doctor of Philosophy, Stockholm University, 1964.
Janson was professor of Latin at the University of Gothenburg, and later became professor of African languages at the same alma mater. He retired in 2001, but has since been affiliated with the University of Stockholm. He devoted much of his time and publishing activities to the way how languages change as well as to the relationship between language and society.
He is the author of the international bestsellers Speak: A Short History of Languages and A Natural History of Latin.
(This book is a history of human speech from prehistory to...)
Member Linguistic Society of America, The Botswana Society.
Children from previous marriage: Harald, Eskil. Married Christina Westman, September 3, 1976.