Every Word Is a Bird We Teach to Sing..., Daniel Tammet
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Every Word Is a Bird We Teach to Sing
Encounters with the Mysteries and Meanings of Language

Author: Daniel Tammet

Narrator: Daniel Tammet

Unabridged: 10 hr 28 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/12/2017


Synopsis

A mind-expanding, deeply humane tour of language by the bestselling author of Born on a Blue Day and Thinking in Numbers.

Is vocabulary destiny? Why do clocks "talk" to the Nahua people of Mexico? Will A.I. researchers ever produce true human-machine dialogue? In this mesmerizing collection of essays, Daniel Tammet answers these and many other questions about the intricacy and profound power of language.

In Every Word Is a Bird We Teach to Sing, Tammet goes back in time to London to explore the numeric language of his autistic childhood; in Iceland, he learns why the name Blær became a court case; in Canada, he meets one of the world's most accomplished lip readers. He chats with chatbots; contrives an "e"-less essay on lipograms; studies the grammar of the telephone; contemplates the significance of disappearing dialects; and corresponds with native Esperanto speakers - in their mother tongue.

A joyous romp through the world of words, letters, stories, and meanings, Every Word Is a Bird We Teach to Sing explores the way communication shapes reality. From the art of translation to the lyricism of sign language, these essays display the stunning range of Tammet's literary and polyglot talents.

Author Bio

Daniel Tammet grew up in London and briefly taught English as a second language in Lithuania. He has been extensively studied at California's Center for Brain Studies and at the Cambridge Autism Research Centre. Today he lives with his partner Neil in Southeast England, and raises money for charities to help people with neurological disorders.

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