Rare Tongues : The Secret Stories of Hidden Languages

Rare Tongues is an enthralling tour around the rarest languages in the world, bringing a different eye to an often Anglocentric topic. It explores how globally, language and culture are becoming increasingly homogenous - with a resulting loss of different viewpoints and ways of living.

In Rare Tongues, linguist and writer Lorna Gibb explores the history of these languages, the cultures they belong to, the tales they tell, while offering a glimpse into what we can learn from each of them. From Australia to India, the Canary Islands, Namibia, United States, Scotland, Paraguay and beyond, the book will guide the reader through the stories of languages under threat and languages in resurgence. The different systems of whistles, clicks, vowels, consonants and tones that make up these languages carry important information about our planet, about medicine, about indigenous culture and tradition, even the history of all of mankind.

At once entertaining and informative, Lorna Gibb makes a compelling case for the preservation of the rich linguistic diversity of our world, and expertly shows why it matters for us all.

Format/pages: hardback / 352 pages

ISBN: 9781838951771

Publisher: Atlantic Books

Year: 2025