The Power of Babel

McWhorter’s lively approach makes linguistics accessible, but I wonder what motivated him to frame language change as a kind of natural history. Was there a specific moment or idea that sparked this perspective?

The book weaves historical anecdotes with linguistic concepts, but I especially loved the stories of how language contact shaped dialects and creoles. Are there particular examples that resonated more with others?

The variety of languages and historical periods covered is impressive. I wonder what guided his choices—were certain languages or events more influential in illustrating key concepts?