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176 reviews for:
Das glücklichste Volk: sieben Jahre bei den Pirahã-Indianern am Amazonas
Daniel L. Everett
3.8 AVERAGE
176 reviews for:
Das glücklichste Volk: sieben Jahre bei den Pirahã-Indianern am Amazonas
Daniel L. Everett
3.8 AVERAGE
I am not a linguist, so a fair bit of this book sailed over my head.
However, the parts I understood were fascinating, as were the anthropological parts. Everett went to live with the Pirahã as a missionary and a linguist. He wanted to convert them and learn their grammar. What ensued is riveting though not particularly well-written. Everett seems to be saying that a large portion of what Chomsky says and the linguistic community has accepted as true for quite some time may not be true, and the entire discipline of linguistics will be turned on its ear if his claims are verifiable. I love science in the field, especially when it goes against everything we think we know. I really enjoyed reading about Everett's interior journey from missionary to atheist as well. It's a rare, and to my eye, admirable missionary who allows himself to be converted by the tribe he meddles with.
Highly recommended for people who like this sort of thing.
However, the parts I understood were fascinating, as were the anthropological parts. Everett went to live with the Pirahã as a missionary and a linguist. He wanted to convert them and learn their grammar. What ensued is riveting though not particularly well-written. Everett seems to be saying that a large portion of what Chomsky says and the linguistic community has accepted as true for quite some time may not be true, and the entire discipline of linguistics will be turned on its ear if his claims are verifiable. I love science in the field, especially when it goes against everything we think we know. I really enjoyed reading about Everett's interior journey from missionary to atheist as well. It's a rare, and to my eye, admirable missionary who allows himself to be converted by the tribe he meddles with.
Highly recommended for people who like this sort of thing.
This could actually use another half start. So 3.5 stars! The concept is great and the language/loves of the Pirahas is fascinating. It is incredible to hear how one man went into the Piraha culture with almost no prior knowledge and no translator and was able to discern so much. The Piraha language defies traditional theories of language because it appears to be a product of the Piraha culture and not solely of biology or some innate grammar. A key selling feature for me in reading this book was the premise that Everett began his time with the Piraha people as a Christian missionary and left and atheist. I was intrigued and wanted to know what about their lifestyle and their language caused him to lose his faith. However, he only addresses this is a short chapter at the end and with little detail. Definitely worth reading if you like languages or other cultures that are very different from our own.
Entertaining, mix of jungle life vignettes and linguistic explanation of what we've learned about language and culture from Everett's 30 years of living with the Pirahã.
Fascinating read - goes into a bit more detail on language and grammar theory than I'm interested in, but the subtitle warns that upfront. Some of the details about the Piraha culture are captivating, I couldn't resist reading a few paragraphs aloud to my boyfriend as I went through the book.
The juxtaposition of native belief systems versus Christian theology is always interesting to me (perhaps my interest started when reading Mischa Berlinski's "Fieldwork") and I appreciate Everett's appreciation for the views of his subjects.
The juxtaposition of native belief systems versus Christian theology is always interesting to me (perhaps my interest started when reading Mischa Berlinski's "Fieldwork") and I appreciate Everett's appreciation for the views of his subjects.
i dont know why but i didnt enjoy this book at all, except for the part where the pirahãs said that jesus came to the village and tried to sleep with them. thank you