Myriad Languages: Why We Speak and Think Differently

The book is an engaging journey through the linguistic diversity of the world, from which one can learn how language reflects and shapes human thought. Drawing on the latest linguistic research, the author demonstrates the differences with which languages encode... basic concepts such as time, space, color, and smell.
Studying rare languages offers a new approach to the questions of human cognition, allowing for a broader perception of the mutual influence of languages and cultures. Languages appear to us as much more diverse than previously thought, as evidenced by all the results of modern research methods.
Everett combines scientific accuracy with accessibility of exposition: complex concepts are illustrated with vivid examples from various languages around the world. The main value of the book lies in its synthesis of the latest discoveries in linguistics, many of which have been made through the study of the rare languages of small peoples. It presents a fresh perspective on fundamental questions about the nature of language and human cognition.
The book is intended for linguists, anthropologists, psychologists, as well as anyone interested in the development of world languages and cultures.