Review
The Languages of the World
Kenneth Katzner
Third edition. Routledge: London, UK, 1977/2002
Reviewed by Michael Jaffarian
Coordinator of Research for
CBInternational, Richmond, Virginia
Published in
Global Missiology, Review & Preview, October 2004, www.globalmissiology.net
After 21 brief essays on the language families of
the world, this book gives a series of one- to two-page entries on 200+
different languages. Each of these entries includes: (1) a passage, poem, or paragraph from this language, in
its distinctive script, often something from the great literature of the language, (2) an English translation of
that, and (3) a few paragraphs about this language, various interesting stuff,
and where it fits into the world geographically,
historically, or linguistically. Part III is a country-by-country survey, with a few sentences about the main language or
languages of each, or their linguistic makeup.
Delightful and fascinating. Not nearly as detailed,
nor as definitive as the Ethnologue, or the
language section of the World Christian Encyclopedia, but much more accessible. Also very
interesting, and fun. Even a casual browsing gives the reader perspective on
the linguistic diversity of humanity, good
for the development of World Christian understanding.