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Smith, Neil, Language, bananas and bonobos: Linguistic problems, puzzles and polemics. Oxford: Blackwell, 2002. Pp. viii, 150. Hb $62.95, pb $29.95.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2005

John Hellermann
John Hellermann
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Linguistics, Portland State University, Portland OR 97207-0751, jkh@pdx.edu
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Extract

The title of Neil Smith's book (Language, bananas and bonobos) suggested to me a book focusing on the issue of nonhuman primate language, and the title attracted me to the book for this reason. While Smith deals with that issue in one chapter, the range of issues explored in this book is much wider than I expected, which made it a more interesting read for me. Smith suggests an audience of non-linguists, and I agree that the book would make an interesting excursion for an academically minded reader with only a passing knowledge of linguistics. I also think there are many linguists who would find the book a catalyst for debate and reexamination of linguistic theory and practice.

Type
BOOK REVIEW
Information
Language in Society , Volume 34 , Issue 1 , January 2005 , pp. 145 - 147
Copyright
© 2005 Cambridge University Press

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References

REFERENCE

Savage-Rumbaugh, Sue; Shanker, Stuart G.; & Taylor, Talbot J. (1998). Apes, language, and the human mind. New York: Oxford University Press.