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Lingo: A Language Spotter's Guide to Europe Hardcover – 6 Nov. 2014

by Gaston Dorren (Author), Jonathan Buckley (Editor), Alison Edwards (Translator)
4.3 out of 5 stars 1,004 ratings

Welcome to Europe as you've never known it before, seen through the peculiarities of its languages and dialects. Combining linguistics and cultural history, Gaston Dorren takes us on an intriguing tour of the continent, from Proto-Indo-European (the common ancestor of most European languages) to the rise and rise of English, via the complexities of Welsh plurals and Czech pronunciation. Along the way we learn why Esperanto will never catch on, how the language of William the Conqueror lives on in the Channel Islands and why Finnish is the easiest European language.

Surprising, witty and full of extraordinary facts, this book will change the way you think about the languages around you. Polyglot Gaston Dorren might even persuade you that English is like Chinese.

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  1. Print length
    256 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Profile Books
  4. Publication date
    6 Nov. 2014
  5. Dimensions
    13.8 x 2.9 x 20.4 cm
  6. ISBN-10
    1781254168
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1781254165
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Review

Learned and pleasantly ironic ... [an] entertaining exercise in "language tourism" ... [Dorren's] tour of the continent is a richly diverting exercise ... He has something interesting to point out about nearly every topic ... brilliant -- Steven Poole ― Guardian Published On: 2014-11-28

The depth and breadth of [Dorren's] understanding and knowledge are awesome ... this charming, funny and fascinating gem of a book has persuaded me of the richness we are in danger of losing. -- Rose Wild ― The Times Published On: 2014-11-29

I can't praise it enough. If you ever wanted to know how exactly Finnish and Hungarian are related and how Turkish fits in, it is clearly explained here in two to three pages. And so is everything else you ever wanted to learn about European languages but were afraid to ask. Brilliant, witty, excellent! -- Alan Sked ― Times Higher Education Published On: 2014-12-17

Joyful ... Lingo is that rare thing: a book about language the manages to be both genuinely interesting and enormous fun. Particularly impressive is Dorren's ability to flip with ease from jokes and surprising facts to the discussion of complex linguistic ideas ... For the sadly monoglot, Lingo is a wake-up call: a book that brims with joy at linguistic variety and invention, and reminds us what he - and we - are missing -- John Gallagher ― Sunday Telegraph Seven Published On: 2014-11-09

Through 60 compelling stories about European linguistics, it tells us an impressive amount about Europe ... An entertaining, accessible guide -- Stephanie Boland ― Financial Times Published On: 2015-01-03

Full of charm and pleasing detail ... [an] amusing tour of Europe's linguistic landscape ― Spectator Published On: 2014-11-13

Fact-packed ... [an] absorbing tour -- Julia Richardson ― Daily Mail Published On: 2015-10-30

A new approach to understanding the world ... ideal for any cunning linguist ― Wanderlust Published On: 2014-12-01

Gaston Dorren offers an excellent overview of Europe's languages ... It's very enlightening, and very well done ― NRC Handelsblad

I love this book. It's witty and informative, with a wealth of engaging comments on all things language-related on our continent ... highly amusing ... the book's mine of information, make[s] this a great seasonal stocking filler - whether you're a lingophile or not. -- Gwyn Griffiths ― Morning Star Published On: 2014-12-02

This year's sleeper Christmas hit ... an amiable and entertaining examination of European languages in all their idiosyncratic glory -- Michael Conaghan ― Belfast Telegraph Published On: 2014-12-09

Full of odd linguistic facts ... fascinating -- Tom Chivers ― Times Literary Supplement Published On: 2014-12-12

A pleasurable read ― The Linguist Published On: 2015-03-27

Book Description

Why the Spanish speak so fast, the Dutch are gender-benders and it's hard to add up in Breton

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Profile Books; Main edition (6 Nov. 2014)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1781254168
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1781254165
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 13.8 x 2.9 x 20.4 cm
  • Customer reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 1,004 ratings

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  1. Gaston Dorren

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
1,004 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this language guide fascinating and beautifully researched, providing an interesting summary of European languages while covering both major and minority languages. The book is written in an easy-reading style and is humorous, with short chapters that make it a quick read. Customers disagree on the overall readability of the book.

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85 customers mention ‘Informative’85 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fascinating and beautifully researched, making it a great book to dip into.

"...I admire the fruits of his research. Well worth the money." Read more

"...of some languages is astonishing, and this author manages to make the subject entertaining and often amusing...." Read more

"...Well written, funny and well researched this book will appeal to any casual reader with even a small interest in encyclopedic knowledge...." Read more

"...Lots of nice, sometimes interesting ideas, but the underpinnings to justify the assertions seemed to be missing and sometimes what he said just did..." Read more

47 customers mention ‘Language content’42 positive5 negative

Customers find the book's language content engaging, providing an interesting summary of European languages and how they interweave, while covering both major and minority languages including Romani.

"...The Welsh section showed an interesting undertanding of the language...." Read more

"...Wow - the complexity of some languages is astonishing, and this author manages to make the subject entertaining and often amusing...." Read more

"You don't have to be a linguist to enjoy the history and diversity of European languages..." Read more

"...Does a good job of categorizing the various languages in Europe and doesn't leave much out..." Read more

28 customers mention ‘Readable’22 positive6 negative

Customers find the book readable and easy to understand, with one customer noting it serves as a users' guide to what foreigners find easy or difficult about English.

"A terrific read for linguists. Non-linguists would soon be lost, so I would suggest that casual readers should give this a miss...." Read more

"...Well written, funny and well researched this book will appeal to any casual reader with even a small interest in encyclopedic knowledge...." Read more

"Enjoyable from front to back. An easy read that's not too academic in tone but not informal enough to be irritating...." Read more

"...of languages both familiar and less so will find this book easy to read and interesting and in parts imaginative and amusing" Read more

22 customers mention ‘Humor’22 positive0 negative

Customers find the book humorous and witty, with one noting it is written in an informal tone.

"...and this author manages to make the subject entertaining and often amusing. The sheer number of other languages is a revelation in itself...." Read more

"...Well written, funny and well researched this book will appeal to any casual reader with even a small interest in encyclopedic knowledge...." Read more

"...this book easy to read and interesting and in parts imaginative and amusing" Read more

"Concise, insightful and hilarious in equal measure, Dorren provides a fantastic guide to the languages of Europe from the big boys with millions of..." Read more

8 customers mention ‘Chapter length’8 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate that the chapters are short, with one noting that there is a surprising amount of content for a small book.

"...Its short chapters will make the book very easy to read for those that don't have much free time...." Read more

"...The short chapter format also ensured it never got heavy or boring...." Read more

"I loved the short chapters and easy prose with real life examples that makes you stop and think how much language shapes who we are and also how..." Read more

"...The chapters are generally very brief; this makes it a good book to dip into from time to time for a quick visit." Read more

9 customers mention ‘Readability’3 positive6 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the readability of the book, with some finding it brilliant while others describe it as a patchy read.

"...may have hindered the project, with the result that many chapters seemed superficial...." Read more

"Better than all those mediocre language books - must buy..." Read more

"...but some of the sections are better than others making the book a bit of a patchy read." Read more

"...A slight book, good enough for dipping into but I found it did not hold my attention." Read more

Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for linguists to dip in.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 March 2016
    Verified Purchase
    A terrific read for linguists. Non-linguists would soon be lost, so I would suggest that casual readers should give this a miss. My assessment is for those who are interested in languages.

    The book is obviously based on a lot of second hand information. I was intrigued by finding out some of the history of Turkish that I had not come across. The Welsh section showed an interesting undertanding of the language. The Manx section, the first foreign language I came across as a child in the village he mentions, leaves me with raised eyebrows with comments on several of the presumed knowledge of some of the languages (e.g. I have never heard "yessir" in the 70 years I have been going to the Isle of Man, despite having lived 30 yards away from Ned Beg's cottage, even though the author says in the Manx section any visitor will hear it within an hour) but also pleasure to note his opinion that Manx is not a dead language yet. This alone leaves me suspecting he is working with second or even third hand information.

    This criticism is relatively petty, as the book makes no claim to be academically correct. I have been encourage to read up further on many of his remarks. The authors ramblings (in the nice sense) left me intrigued. I admire the fruits of his research.

    Well worth the money.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Words-and-music Man
    4.0 out of 5 stars Lingo lovers - you MUST read this!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 2 December 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Anyone interested in how world languages work will absolutely love this book. I'm English with a working knowledge of two or three other languages - and I thought Czech was complicated until I read this book! Wow - the complexity of some languages is astonishing, and this author manages to make the subject entertaining and often amusing. The sheer number of other languages is a revelation in itself. I can't recommend 'Lingo' highly enough. I'd have given it five stars if it hadn't been for some of the author's awful puns!!
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  • Papageorgiou Georgios
    5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect guide to the languages of Europe
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 August 2018
    Verified Purchase
    You don't have to be a linguist to enjoy the history and diversity of European languages (many of them I had not even heard of before - and some even spoken in my own country). Well written, funny and well researched this book will appeal to any casual reader with even a small interest in encyclopedic knowledge. Its short chapters will make the book very easy to read for those that don't have much free time. You will certainly be surprised by how much we don't know about language in general and the quirks and fun facts of the plethora of european languages in particular.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Magherablade
    3.0 out of 5 stars 'Lingo' for fun but a light read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 April 2015
    Verified Purchase
    A bit disappointing.As a real enthusiast for language, and someone with some familiarity with a number of languages from different families I found 'Linogo' fun, but a bit superficial. Lots of nice, sometimes interesting ideas, but the underpinnings to justify the assertions seemed to be missing and sometimes what he said just didn't resonate with my own experience. I was also surprised to find some phenomena presented as if they were one-offs when the same phenomenon can be seen elsewhere and it would have been nice to see this sort of thing explored.

    So, a book to which I will turn from time to time on my Kindlle, but not top of my list when it comes to finding out more about how language works.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Alexander Close
    5.0 out of 5 stars A pleasantly surprising amount of content for a small (and cheap) book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 February 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Enjoyable from front to back. An easy read that's not too academic in tone but not informal enough to be irritating. Does a good job of categorizing the various languages in Europe and doesn't leave much out (includes minor languages such as Romani and the Jewish dialects). Sections divided topically so it's not just a linear slog but individual discussions centred about a particular (grammatical, social, historical, etc) point.

    Highly recommend for anyone with interests in language, etymology (I think will adopt the term 'language spotting'!) and a touch of European politics/history.

    I'm surprised it was so cheap.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • D. J. Chandler
    4.0 out of 5 stars Oddities of Language
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 4 April 2015
    Verified Purchase
    An interesting introduction to the oddities of language especially the European languages. Anybody interested in the development of languages both familiar and less so will find this book easy to read and interesting and in parts imaginative and amusing
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  • London-nanny
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved by an academic,
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 31 December 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Everything to like, this is now the 4th copy I have purchased, if you are a lover of language, it is a must.
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  • Afterbrunel
    5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting book lighthearted but authoritative
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 January 2022
    Verified Purchase
    If you're at all interested in languages and why they are as they are, this is an entertaining read. It's not a primer in how to speak them, but it is a comparative study of European languages, and how they developed. The book is eminently readable without that detracting from the scholarship involved in wirting it.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Marco_MR
    5.0 out of 5 stars 🇪🇺 100 %
    Reviewed in Mexico on 14 October 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I never have been there. But thanks to Mr Dorren I've been in every single country he wrote about. It made me love my mother tongue even more (Spanish) ironically I comment in English. That's the magic of this book. The wonderful benefits of being bilingual or more. Great book really. I read it nearly in one sitting. Saludos desde Mx
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  • Moop
    5.0 out of 5 stars I would definitely recommend to anyone with a love of languages
    Reviewed in Canada on 11 July 2017
    Verified Purchase
    The fascinating facts and tidbits he gave on each language made this book a page turner for me. I would definitely recommend to anyone with a love of languages.

    He did seem to have a bias against noun declensions (which I think are super nifty but that's party because of my love of Latin) but this book was very well done.
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  • Ruth Ibañez
    5.0 out of 5 stars Full of information and easy to read
    Reviewed in Spain on 13 April 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Loved it. It is full of little tidbits about European languages, and not only the big Indo-European ones, but little ones too, like Basque or Faroese. It's funny and full of puns, it gives an overview of the history of many countries and it's so easy to read you are kind of sad when it ends. I wish it were longer!
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  • karin1910
    5.0 out of 5 stars Vielfalt der Sprachen Europas
    Reviewed in Germany on 15 February 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Der niederländische Journalist Gaston Dorren nimmt seine Leser hier mit auf einen Streifzug durch die spannende Welt der Linguistik. In meist vier bis fünf Seiten langen Kapiteln betrachtet er eine Sprache nach der anderen, stellt ihre Besonderheiten und bisweilen Eigentümlichkeiten vor und erklärt, welchen Einflüssen sie in ihrer Vergangenheit ausgesetzt war, welche anderen Sprachen von ihr selbst beeinflusst wurden und wie sie in das Gefüge der großen Sprachfamilien passt.
    Außerdem zählt er jeweils ein paar Lehnwörter auf, die von der jeweiligen Sprache ins Englische gelangten, und macht einen Vorschlag, welches Wort noch entlehnt werden sollte. Schon allein diese kurzen Abschnitte sind sehr aufschlussreich, mir wurde erst dadurch bewusst, dass das Englische (und teilweise auch das Deutsche) für eine Reihe alltäglicher Konzepte über keinen handlichen Begriff verfügt.

    Auf dieser interessanten wie auch unterhaltsamen Reise durch Europa erfahren die Leser beispielsweise, wovon es abhängt, ob etwas als Sprache oder als Dialekt bezeichnet wird und dass dies selten rein linguistische Gründe hat, wieso die Schreibweise mancher Sprachen so sehr von ihrer Aussprache abweicht, wie die Ausbreitung der deutschen Sprache vonstattenging und welch wichtige Rolle Martin Luther für ihre Vereinheitlichung spielte, warum es sich beim Französischen um ein Muttersöhnchen handelt, inwiefern das Baskische einem Berg gleicht, welchen Sprachen es gelang, von den Toten wiederaufzuerstehen - und vieles mehr.

    Die Beschreibungen und Erklärungen sind dabei immer sehr anschaulich und auch ohne Vorkenntnisse leicht nachvollziehbar. Zwar wirken manche, vermutlich witzig gemeinten, Bemerkungen des Autors etwas überheblich, dennoch eignet sich dieses Werk wunderbar dazu, in die Vielfalt der Sprachen Europas einzutauchen.
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  • Happy Reader
    4.0 out of 5 stars Lingo - language facts and fun
    Reviewed in France on 31 January 2023
    Verified Purchase
    This book is a real pleasure. I'm 2/3 of the way through and have enjoyed every bit. The chapters are short and full of interesting facts, presented with humour.
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