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Summary: A Breath of Fresh Air in the Field of Linguistics
Review: _The Way We Talk Now_ is one of those rare masterpieces that appeals to both the scholar and the layman. In this compilation of radio essays on a variety of subjects, Geoffrey Nunberg looks at the American culture and its institutions - and the way we verbalize in regard to, and as a result of, them - with an eye that is as incisive as it is witty.Indeed, for a linguist of such repute, Nunberg is engaging and warm, and his essays are as enthralling as they are enlightening. In fact, for those individuals who have always seen the study of linguistics as a highly specialized field of study appreciated only by intellectuals who are as boring as their reading, this will be an enormously pleasant shock.
More than a collection of entertaining essays, however, the value of The Way We Talk Now lies in Nunberg's constant and unrelenting prodding and encouragement of the reader to look at himself within our cultural and institutional contexts - via the medium of verbal self-expression. Whether discussing the flap over inner city dialects being taught in school, the moral and aesthetic qualities imparted to the English language by purists, the camaraderie of radio call-in talk shows, or the evolving perception of cults within our society, Nunberg relentlessly brings the reader to examine his own communication. Invariably, the realizations that accompany this self-analysis - both voluntary and involuntary - are as enlightening as they are surprising. Profound without being incomprehensible, simple without being shallow, packing its weight in engaging scholarly content, and a springboard for continued self-analysis and more effective self-expression, this jewel of humor and insight is both a credit to Nunberg's skill and a welcome breath of fresh air. Above all, this is a book to be read as much for learning as for enjoyment. - Benjamin Gene Gardner
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