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The Story of Human Language
- Narrated by: John McWhorter
- Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins
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The Story of Human Language
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Publisher's summary
Language defines us as a species, placing humans head and shoulders above even the most proficient animal communicators. But it also beguiles us with its endless mysteries, allowing us to ponder why different languages emerged, why there isn't simply a single language, how languages change over time and whether that's good or bad, and how languages die out and become extinct. Now you can explore all of these questions and more in an in-depth series of 36 lectures from one of America's leading linguists.
You'll be witness to the development of human language, learning how a single tongue spoken 150,000 years ago evolved into the estimated 6,000 languages used around the world today and gaining an appreciation of the remarkable ways in which one language sheds light on another.
The many fascinating topics you examine in these lectures include: the intriguing evidence that links a specific gene to the ability to use language; the specific mechanisms responsible for language change; language families and the heated debate over the first language; the phenomenon of language mixture; why some languages develop more grammatical machinery than they actually need; the famous hypothesis that says our grammars channel how we think; artificial languages, including Esperanto and sign languages for the deaf; and how word histories reflect the phenomena of language change and mixture worldwide.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
Editor's Pick
A whole world of words
"Language is so weird. It can never be fully pinned down, and it evolves in fascinating and unpredictable ways. That’s what makes this course so fun. By examining the evolution of language, Professor John McWhorter elucidates a cross-section of history from a perspective we all take for granted. McWhorter knows all of the factoids behind the factoids, in multiple languages, making this course endlessly entertaining and eye-opening."
—Michael D., Audible Editor
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- 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living
- By: Ryan Holiday, Stephen Hanselman
- Narrated by: Brian Holsopple
- Length: 10 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 3,113
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,608
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Story5 out of 5 stars 2,573
Why have history's greatest minds - from George Washington to Frederick the Great to Ralph Waldo Emerson along with today's top performers, from Super Bowl-winning football coaches to CEOs and celebrities - embraced the wisdom of the ancient Stoics? Because they realize that the most valuable wisdom is timeless and that philosophy is for living a better life, not a classroom exercise. The Daily Stoic offers a daily devotional of Stoic insights and exercises, featuring all-new translations.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Not well made as audio
- By Andreas on 12-27-16
By: Ryan Holiday, and others
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Marcus Aurelius - Meditations: Adapted for the Contemporary Reader
- By: Marcus Aurelius, James Harris
- Narrated by: Gregory Allen Siders
- Length: 4 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 214
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 168
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 168
Meditations is a series of personal writings by Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor from 161 to 180 AD, recording his private notes to himself and ideas on Stoic philosophy. Marcus Aurelius wrote the 12 books of the Meditations as a source for his own guidance and self-improvement. These books have been carefully adapted into modern English form to allow for easy listening. Enjoy!
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5 out of 5 stars
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Best translation
- By Anonymous User on 06-13-19
By: Marcus Aurelius, and others
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I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t)
- Telling the Truth about Perfectionism, Inadequacy, and Power
- By: Brené Brown
- Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
- Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 5,854
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 4,976
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 4,919
Based on seven years of ground-breaking research and hundreds of interviews, I Thought It Was Just Me shines a long-overdue light on an important truth: Our imperfections are what connect us to each other and to our humanity. Our vulnerabilities are not weaknesses; they are powerful reminders to keep our hearts and minds open to the reality that we're all in this together.
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3 out of 5 stars
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I'm sure its great if you are a mother ....
- By Leslie A Hill on 08-09-11
By: Brené Brown
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The Complete Book of Five Rings
- By: Miyamoto Musashi, Kenji Tokitsu - editor/translator
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 5 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,024
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,383
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,357
The Complete Book of Five Rings is an authoritative version of Musashi's classic The Book of Five Rings, translated and annotated by a modern martial arts master, Kenji Tokitsu. Tokitsu has spent most of his life researching the legendary samurai swordsman and his works, and in this book he illuminates this seminal text, along with several other works by Musashi.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Best translation I have encountered.
- By DW on 05-27-16
By: Miyamoto Musashi, and others
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The Autobiography of Malcolm X
- As Told to Alex Haley
- By: Malcolm X, Alex Haley
- Narrated by: Laurence Fishburne
- Length: 16 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 12,094
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 10,754
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 10,694
Experience a bold take on this classic autobiography as it’s performed by Oscar-nominated Laurence Fishburne. In this searing classic autobiography, originally published in 1965, Malcolm X, the Muslim leader, firebrand, and Black empowerment activist, tells the extraordinary story of his life and the growth of the Human Rights movement. His fascinating perspective on the lies and limitations of the American dream and the inherent racism in a society that denies its non-White citizens the opportunity to dream, gives extraordinary insight into the most urgent issues of our own time.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Audible Masterpiece
- By Phoenician on 09-10-20
By: Malcolm X, and others
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The Mastery of Self
- A Toltec Guide to Personal Freedom
- By: Don Miguel Ruiz Jr.
- Narrated by: Charlie Varon
- Length: 3 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 4,329
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 3,578
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 3,558
The ancient Toltecs believed that life, as we perceive it, is a dream. We each live in our own personal dream, and these come together to form the dream of the planet, or the world in which we live. Problems arise when our perception of the dream becomes clouded with negativity, drama, and judgment (of ourselves and others), because it's in these moments of suffering that we have forgotten that we are the architects of our own reality and we have the power to change our dream if we choose.
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5 out of 5 stars
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listen.. .then listen again
- By Casiano on 12-22-16
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Caffeine
- How Caffeine Created the Modern World
- By: Michael Pollan
- Narrated by: Michael Pollan
- Length: 2 hrs and 2 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 42,289
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 36,434
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 36,266
Michael Pollan, known for his best-selling nonfiction audio, including The Omnivores Dilemma and How to Change Your Mind, conceived and wrote Caffeine: How Caffeine Created the Modern World as an Audible Original. In this controversial and exciting listen, Pollan explores caffeine’s power as the most-used drug in the world - and the only one we give to children (in soda pop) as a treat.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Leaves much to be desired
- By Melody H on 02-02-20
By: Michael Pollan
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The Emerald Tablets of Thoth the Atlantean
- By: M. Doreal
- Narrated by: John Marino
- Length: 2 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,327
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,122
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,115
The history of the tablets translated in the following book is strange and beyond the belief of modern scientists. Their antiquity is stupendous, dating back some 36,000 years. The writer is Thoth, an Atlantean Priest-King, who founded a colony in ancient Egypt after the sinking of the mother country. He was the builder of the Great Pyramid of Giza, erroneously attributed to Cheops. In it he incorporated his knowledge of the ancient wisdom and also securely secreted records and instruments of ancient Atlantis.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellence...
- By Light Worker on 04-21-18
By: M. Doreal
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Eight Dates
- Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love
- By: John Gottman PhD, Julie Schwartz Gottman PhD, Doug Abrams, and others
- Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin, Julie McKay
- Length: 5 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,171
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 962
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 952
Navigating the challenges of long-term commitment takes effort - and it just got simpler, with this empowering, step-by-step guide to communicating about the things that matter most to you and your partner. Drawing on 40 years of research from their world-famous Love Lab, Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman invite couples on eight fun, easy, and profoundly rewarding dates, each one focused on a make-or-break issue: trust, conflict, sex, money, family, adventure, spirituality, and dreams.
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1 out of 5 stars
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What the F. Robot-reader???!?!?!
- By Anonymous User on 01-21-20
By: John Gottman PhD, and others
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The Ethical Slut
- A Practical Guide to Polyamory, Open Relationships, & Other Adventures
- By: Janet W. Hardy, Dossie Easton
- Narrated by: Janet W. Hardy, Dossie Easton
- Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 4,401
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,775
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,747
For anyone who has ever dreamed of love, sex, and companionship beyond the limits of traditional monogamy, this groundbreaking guide navigates the infinite possibilities that open relationships can offer. Experienced ethical sluts Dossie Easton and Janet W. Hardy dispel myths and cover all the skills necessary to maintain a successful and responsible polyamorous lifestyle.
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4 out of 5 stars
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The information and advice is 100% totally solid!
- By Troy on 07-28-15
By: Janet W. Hardy, and others
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This Is Not a Game with Marc Fennell
- By: Marc Fennell
- Narrated by: Marc Fennell
- Length: 3 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 7
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 6
This Is Not a Game is the extraordinary untold story of the internet’s first conspiracy theory, the legend of Ong’s Hat. Marc Fennell will dive deep into a previously unexplored world of tech hippies, eccentric web subcultures and simmering paranoia, uncovering how this tongue-in-cheek artistic experiment backfired on its creator and went on to influence much of what’s wrong with the internet today.
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5 out of 5 stars
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WOW!
- By pondo on 05-09-24
By: Marc Fennell
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The Debutante
- By: Jon Ronson
- Narrated by: Jon Ronson
- Length: 3 hrs and 11 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,332
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,105
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,102
Thirty years ago, award-winning journalist Jon Ronson stumbled on the mystery of Carol Howe—a charismatic, wealthy former debutante turned white supremacist spokeswoman turned undercover informant. In 1995, Carol was spying on Oklahoma’s neo-Nazis for the government just when Timothy McVeigh blew up a federal building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Interesting but not compelling
- By Gail Jester on 04-15-23
By: Jon Ronson
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Ho Tactics
- How to MindF**k a Man into Spending, Spoiling, and Sponsoring
- By: G. L. Lambert
- Narrated by: Patrick Stevens
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,959
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,609
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,593
I have discovered a group of women who refuse to be exploited, are immune to manipulation, and who never settle in the name of love. These ladies know what they want and take what they want by beating men at their own game. Utilizing the secrets exposed in this book, these women gain power, money, and status. Men call them gold diggers, women call them hos, but they call themselves winners. This is the book that society doesn't want you to listen to….
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5 out of 5 stars
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I spent $24,000 in 4 months
- By B.M. on 10-06-18
By: G. L. Lambert
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Buddhism for Beginners
- By: Thubten Chodron, His Holiness the Dalai Lama - foreword
- Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
- Length: 4 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,156
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,835
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,815
This user’s guide to Buddhist basics takes the most commonly asked questions - beginning with “What is the essence of the Buddha’s teachings?” - and provides simple answers in plain English. Thubten Chodron’s responses to the questions that always seem to arise among people approaching Buddhism make this an exceptionally complete and accessible introduction - as well as a manual for living a more peaceful, mindful, and satisfying Life.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Amazing introduction to Buddhism
- By chad d on 07-02-15
By: Thubten Chodron, and others
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The Prophet
- By: Kahlil Gibran
- Narrated by: Riz Ahmed
- Length: 1 hr and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 994
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 846
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 844
On the face of it, a simple book of 26 poem fables sharing one man’s wisdom. But The Prophet is so much more than that. It has inspired people from John F Kennedy to The Beatles and became the '60s Bible of counterculture – all because of the timeless truths it shared. Each poem takes a different theme – pleasure, beauty, freedom, joy and sorrow – as the fictional Al Mustapha shares his thoughts and experiences as he prepares to travel back to his island home.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Riz Ahmed's Narraration Is So Moving!
- By Dee Tree on 09-12-21
By: Kahlil Gibran
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Between 1861 and 1865, the clash of the greatest armies the Western hemisphere had ever seen turned small towns, little-known streams, and obscure meadows in the American countryside into names we will always remember. In those great battles, those streams ran red with blood-and the United States was truly born.
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Following the surge of interest and pride in Celtic identity since the 19th century, much of what we thought we knew about the Celts has been radically transformed. In The Celtic World, discover the incredible story of the Celtic-speaking peoples, whose art, language, and culture once spread from Ireland to Austria. This series of 24 enlightening lectures explains the traditional historical view of who the Celts were, then contrasts it with brand-new evidence from DNA analysis and archeology that totally changes our perspective on where the Celts came from.
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Words on the Move opens our eyes to the surprising backstories to the words and expressions we use every day. Did you know that silly once meant "blessed"? Or that ought was the original past tense of owe? Or that the suffix -ly in adverbs is actually a remnant of the word like? And have you ever wondered why some people from New Orleans sound as if they come from Brooklyn?
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Review By a Fan
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This short, opinionated audiobook addresses the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which argues that the language we speak shapes the way we perceive the world. Linguist John McWhorter argues that while this idea is mesmerizing, it is plainly wrong. It is language that reflects culture and worldview, not the other way around.
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Mesopotamia is the ancient name for the region that is now Iraq, a remarkably advanced civilization that flourished for two-thirds of the time that civilization has existed on Earth. Mesopotamians mastered irrigation agriculture; built the first complex urban societies; developed writing, literature, and law; and united vast regions through warfare and diplomacy. While civilizations like Greece and Rome have an unbroken tradition of written histories, the rich history of Mesopotamia has only been recently rediscovered, thanks to the decipherment of Mesopotamia's cuneiform writing less than 200 years ago.
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Time with a great scholar & fantastic lecturer
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Ancient Civilizations of North America
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,417
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,043
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,016
For the past few hundred years, most of what we’ve been taught about the native cultures of North America came from reports authored by the conquerors and colonizers who destroyed them. Now - with the technological advances of modern archaeology and a new perspective on world history - we are finally able to piece together their compelling true stories. In Ancient Civilizations of North America, Professor Edwin Barnhart, Director of the Maya Exploration Center, will open your eyes to a fascinating world you never knew existed - even though you’ve been living right next to it, or even on top of it.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A different perspective - civilizations not tribes
- By Steve Goppert on 07-26-18
By: Edwin Barnhart, and others
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Norse Mythology
- By: Jackson Crawford, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Crawford
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 785
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 685
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Story5 out of 5 stars 681
Thor, Odin, Loki, Freyja, the Valkyries, Valhalla, Ragnarok — many of the places we encounter these and other names, places, and events from Norse mythology in daily life and pop culture are connected to the medieval sources in name only.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Brilliant Course
- By Frederik on 12-05-21
By: Jackson Crawford, and others
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No Excuses: Existentialism and the Meaning of Life
- By: Robert C. Solomon, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Robert C. Solomon
- Length: 12 hrs and 7 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,302
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,977
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,937
What is life? What is my place in it? What choices do these questions obligate me to make? More than a half-century after it burst upon the intellectual scene - with roots that extend to the mid-19th century - Existentialism's quest to answer these most fundamental questions of individual responsibility, morality, and personal freedom, life has continued to exert a profound attraction.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Good for even a non-existentialist
- By Gary on 07-24-15
By: Robert C. Solomon, and others
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Woke Racism
- How a New Religion Has Betrayed Black America
- By: John McWhorter
- Narrated by: John McWhorter
- Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 3,149
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 2,760
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Story5 out of 5 stars 2,725
Acclaimed linguist and award-winning writer John McWhorter argues that an illiberal neoracism, disguised as antiracism, is hurting Black communities and weakening the American social fabric.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Thank You
- By Withacy on 10-26-21
By: John McWhorter
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Elements of Jazz: From Cakewalks to Fusion
- By: Bill Messenger, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Bill Messenger
- Length: 5 hrs and 59 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 707
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 617
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 612
Jazz is a uniquely American art form, one of America's great contributions to not only musical culture, but world culture, with each generation of musicians applying new levels of creativity that take the music in unexpected directions that defy definition, category, and stagnation. Now you can learn the basics and history of this intoxicating genre in an eight-lecture series that is as free-flowing and original as the art form itself.
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2 out of 5 stars
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A Disappointingly Distorted, Myopic View Of Jazz
- By Parallax View on 08-18-13
By: Bill Messenger, and others
What listeners say about The Story of Human Language
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 08-18-20
Engaging, fascinating survey of linguistics
John McWhorter is a wonderful lecturer and is able to make this material easy to understand with humor and endless anecdotes. Highly recommended!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 06-09-20
Interesting and fun!
This series really opened up a world for me. Very accessible. The grammar critic in me is thoroughly chastised. I'm a better thinker for listening to this lecture series.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- M. Brett Pitts
- 05-24-20
Love John McWhartor!
Read 'Losing the Race' years ago and will never forget McWhartor's superior writing skills. This lecture series is about as gripping, fascinating, and witty as a lecture series on linguistics can be. Well done.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- roxanne brooks
- 04-18-20
What a captivating series of lectures.
I loved The Story of Human language.
Let’s face it, language is fascinating.
Thank you Mr John McWhorter for making this course a fun learn, easy to follow and spiked with your own flare of humor.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Moe H FNB
- 06-06-22
highly recommend
This is a very informative course, and it was narrated in a very interesting manner
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Gerald W.
- 01-06-22
A Well-Executed and Fascinating Series
The author uses the term amateur linguist one time in this series. I guess now I know who I am. This is a fascinating description of the development of human languages across time and I highly recommend it to anyone who has even a passing interest.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Ozren
- 02-27-20
Surprising and entertaining.
An easily approachable introduction to fascinating facets of human languages. Lively narration style and full of vivid metaphors and good humor.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- William Gamble
- 03-27-20
Thought Provoking
I have struggled to learn 4+ languages and have been fascinated by them. This is one of the most thought provoking courses I have ever taken. It is not only about language, but about history, archeology, anthropology and even English literature. Great listen.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- J-Dawg
- 09-05-19
Absolutely fascinating!!
Anyone interested in languages will very likely find this course absolutely fascinating. I literally couldn’t bring myself to push pause. Loved it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Aiden
- 08-06-18
Informative and entertaining
I listen to Great Courses titles during my daily commute. So far, this one has been my favorite. I enjoy learning about languages, so this was right up my alley, but I didn't expect the professor to be funny and engaging to boot. He does accents and other languages, and relates anecdotes from college or life that add spice to the lectures. Often I found myself laughing out loud.
Being a Great Courses series, there are enough lectures that you learn a hefty amount. However, it's enjoyable enough that I've started listening through them again with my husband while on car trips and he likes them too.
If you have even a passing interest in learning more about how languages form, split and evolve over time, this is the course for you.
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