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.