SKU: 25157840471

Bastard Tongues: A Trailblazing Linguist Finds Clues to Our Common Humanity in the World's Lowliest Languages

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Description

Bastard Tongues: A Trailblazing Linguist Finds Clues to Our Common Humanity in the World's Lowliest LanguagesBastard Tongues is an exciting, firsthand story of scientific discovery in an area of research close to the heart of what it means to be human what language is, how it works, and how it passes from generation to generation, even where historical accidents have made normal transmission almost impossible. The story focuses on languages so low in the pecking order that many people don't regard them as languages at all Creole languages spoken by

Bastard Tongues is an exciting, firsthand story of scientific discovery in an area of research close to the heart of what it means to be human--what language is, how it works, and how it passes from generation to generation, even where historical accidents have made normal transmission almost impossible. The story focuses on languages so low in the pecking order that many people don't regard them as languages at all--Creole languages spoken by descendants of slaves and indentured laborers in plantation colonies all over the world.

The story is told by Derek Bickerton, who has spent more than thirty years researching these languages on four continents and developing a controversial theory that explains why they are so similar to one another. A published novelist, Bickerton (once described as "part scholar, part swashbuckling man of action") does not present his findings in the usual dry academic manner. Instead, you become a companion on his journey of discovery. You learn things as he learned them, share his disappointments and triumphs, explore the exotic locales where he worked, and meet the colorful characters he encountered along the way. The result is a unique blend of memoir, travelogue, history, and linguistics primer, appealing to anyone who has ever wondered how languages grow or what it's like to search the world for new knowledge.



Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL
Published: 03/17/2009
ISBN: 9780809028160
Pages: 270
Weight: 0.55lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.50w x 0.80d

Review Citations: New York Times Book Review 04/12/2009 pg. 24
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SKU: 25157840471

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Animal Lover
Houston, US
★★★★★ 5
Great trial set. Just be careful throwing the orange one!
Style: Assorted Balls (Pack of 3), Size: 2.5 inch
Blue isn't that easy to see in the yard White charges with bright light/UV and is truly a game changer for night-time fetch. Both dogs clearly favor it. Orange is easy to see in the grass at day They're 3 different weights as well, so double trial. I prefer medium for my big dogs, though light performs well too The orange is HEAVY and unyielding. Do NOT throw it with a ball thrower. It could damage your house or knock your dog out. Seems tough though.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2026
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Spo509
Alexandria, US
★★★★★ 3
Not as good as chuck it anymore
Style: Fetch Balls (Pack of 10), Size: 2.5 inch
I have bought these before and the where just like the chuck it balls. These are not those balls. The are lighter and my dog has already cause damage to one
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Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2026
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MissRachelle
Waukegan, US
★★★★★ 5
Cheap but expected, worked as intended, none of them broke.
Size: 1000 Teaspoons
Seems to be cheap quality but what else can you expect for the price? I needed something cheap that would work for cold foods, and these delivered. They lasted me forever and I didn’t have any break, I just didn’t trust them with super hot foods. I will buy again in a heartbeat though because for everything else they work great. They are small spoons that don’t hold much, bend easily, are really lightweight and I wish they came in portions or wraps because after opening they sat there collecting dust through the hole in the box and so I had to transfer them to a closed container for sanitary purposes. Again though, I didn’t really expect anything else, so I’m happy regardless.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2025
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Snagglepuss
Lowell, US
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Great stirring spoons
Size: 1000 Teaspoons
Great price. Cheapest spoons for stirring. Don't expect to eat ice cream with them though. Me happy.
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JakalSwitch
Draper, US
★★★★★ 4
Pretty pathetic spoons, fantastic price to quantity ratio
Size: 1000 Teaspoons
Weak, not very rigid. But you can't beat the price or quantity! Don't serve these at a party, you will be made fun of.
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Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2026

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