A Cultural History of the Chinese Language (Paperback)

from datrappert

Though claimed to be "a cultural history of the Chinese language", this book instead seems to represent some sort of lifetime brain dump on the part of its author. She spends more time talking about music and painting than she does talking about language. Her point is that in China (which is show...

from Larxol

In the preface to A Cultural History of the Chinese Language , Sharron Gu states that it is a "general history of the Chinese language." It is not. She begins by dismissing all previous linguistic studies, referring to them as "scientific" (her quotes) theories that "ignore or deny the restrictio...

from bezoar44

It would have been more accurate to title this, 'a history of Chinese culture', but I have a feeling the book either wasn't edited carefully, or the author rejected the editor's suggestions. Sharron Gu must be bright and tenacious; she's poured a great deal of research into the book. Yet, a book ...

from deusvitae

A very comprehensive analysis of the various forms of art in Chinese history with the author's suggestions as to how those art forms shaped the language and were shaped by the language. It would be easy to assume, based on the title, that the book is more a history of language, but emphasis shoul...

from antiquary

This is a very interesting book but it might be more accurately described as a series of essays on intersections between Chinese culture and Chinese language. There are chapters on music, art, and nature which are only distantly related to language itself. The chapters on poetry and drama are mor...