Those of you who read French could be well interested in the latest issue of Science & Vie. After recently addressing the question of writing and script, the review now turns exclusively to languages. In total, near a hundred pages through the history of languages, their geography and sociology…

And Among the guest stars featured in this special issue, two eminent linguists we’re familiar with here at Sorosoro: Colette Grinevald, specialist of Latin American languages and member of the Sorosoro scientific board, and Jean-Marie Hombert, who works on African languages and skillfully lead last year’s filming expedition in Gabon.

It is Jean-Marie who introduces the discussion on the origins of languages, while Colette concludes on the revitalization of endangered languages…

In between, you’ll face the controversy coined by Merritt Ruhlen on the existence of a language mother to all languages of the world; you’ll approach ancient languages such as Latin and Greek, of course, but also Sumerian, Egyptian, as well as an outstanding article on the origins of Austronesian languages, retraced thanks to the genome of a bacteria going by the cute name of Helicobacter pylori…; and you’ll end up on a trip around the world through various maps and family trees, keys to a better understanding of linguistic diversity in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas…

Visit this page for more information (French).