This book is subtitled “or the Necessity of Violence: an Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution,” which clues the reader into the fact that there will be linguistics nerdity, class struggle, and obviously magic. When words are translated between languages, nuance is sometimes lost; in Kuang’s alternate history, this elided nuance becomes actual magic. What follows explores the British Empire’s domination and exploitation of other nations through the lens of language: how those in power try to make it just another tool of oppression, and how native speakers of those languages are forced into choosing between buying into the system and benefiting from the oppression, or rebelling against it, and losing everything. Robin, the narrator, is taken from China to England at a young age, so that the British magicians can train him to use his language to serve the empire. His gradual awakening to how he is being used, and how he can use what was given him to fight back, makes for a gripping and urgent read. This book made me want to flip madly through to follow the action, and at the same time want to linger over each page, savoring the insights and turns of phrase. A fantastic and beautiful read.
Tag: genre-linguistics
Word by Word: the Secret Life of Dictionaries, by Kory Stamper
Lexicographers, says the author firmly, are the neutral reporters of how language is used, not the arbiters of what correct language entails. Stamper goes into extreme detail about how dictionary definitions come about, from word origins to parts of speech to pronunciation, punctuated by sparkling humor and amusing behind-the-scenes anecdotes of dictionary creation at Merriam-Webster. The heart of this book is Stamper’s deep love of the English language, and her constant nerdy delight keeps everything moving.