Language and Society in the Greek and Roman Worlds (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780521140669)

Texts written in Latin, Greek and other languages provide ancient historians with their primary evidence, but the role of language as a source for understanding the ancient world is often overlooked. Language played a key role in state-formation and the spread of Christianity, the construction of ethnicity, and negotiating positions of social status and group membership. Language could reinforce social norms and shed light on taboos. This book presents an accessible account of ways in which linguistic evidence can illuminate topics such as imperialism, ethnicity, social mobility, religion, gender and sexuality in the ancient world, without assuming the reader has any knowledge of Greek or Latin, or of linguistic jargon. It describes the rise of Greek and Latin at the expense of other languages spoken around the Mediterranean and details the social meanings of different styles, and the attitudes of ancient speakers towards linguistic differences.

Author: James Clackson
ISBN-10: 0521140668
ISBN-13: 9780521140669
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 04/30/2015
Pages: 218
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.80lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.30w x 1.20d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 02/01/2016