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The scholarly
reviews:
"Bortone analyses the various ways in which the
concepts of language and nationality have been
linked, both in the discourse of expert
linguists and in the discourse of the general
public. He highlights a wealth of assumptions,
prejudices and preconceptions… The statements he
quotes concerning the link between language and
nationality range from antiquity to modern
times, and they cover a vast geographical gamut.
Taking nothing for granted, he subjects each of
these views to critical scrutiny and assesses
its pros and cons, judging it robustly but
fairly against the background of the available
evidence that has been provided by scholarly
research…. Bortone is a phenomenal polyglot...
He has... high competence in an impressive
number of ancient and modern languages,
and... a close acquaintance with an even
larger number of others… Whereas other linguists
have to rely on experts in individual languages
to provide them with examples of use, Bortone is
able to draw on his own personal and practical
experience of learning and speaking them…
Although Bortone is a professional linguist, in
this book he thinks and writes about language
from a position “outside the box”. His writing
is characterized by clarity…The book is
enlivened by many… subtle touches of
humour… he puts his material together in a
novel, palatable and objective way… Bortone has
triumphantly fulfilled his aims. He is a highly
knowledgeable, clear-sighted, urbane and
friendly guide through the labyrinthine
complexities of the perceived relationship
between language and nationality. His book can
be read with profit and pleasure by linguists
and non-linguists alike".
Folia Linguistica
"A short summary can hardly do justice to the
wide scope of this book, which provides insights
into a number of topics related to language and
nationality. The author is highly successful in
discussing complex issues … and in providing a
wealth of examples from a wide range of
different languages. The book challenges some of
the widely held (but false) assumptions
identifying language and nationality… The book
is clearly written and very well organized… In
addition to discussing intricate linguistic
issues, it also draws from disciplines other
than linguistics, ranging from classics to
social sciences. Overall, this is a highly
relevant and excellently researched book, one
which will certainly inspire future research. It
is an important contribution to the
multidisciplinary research on language and
nationality and will be an invaluable resource
both for linguists and social scientists…. Due
to the complexity of its approach, the book will
be of interest to academics and subject
specialists, while thanks to its clear language
and style it is also accessible to readers
without previous specialist knowledge."
The Linguist List
"informative
and well-written... covers a much broader
topic than the link between language and
nationality... Phenomenally
erudite and fluent in many languages, the
author entertains the readers with
little-known facts about similarities and
dissimilarities of various languages from
different parts of the globe, their historical
evolution, and widespread perceptions thereof
among scholars and the general public. In the
process, he vividly demonstrates how the
language people use is almost always perceived
as a marker of their belonging."
Nationality Papers
"Bortone brings new
insight into questions of nationality and
explicates the tangle of mis-information that so
often confounds the topic. The expert will find
meticulous attention to a wide range of
phenomena associated with language and
nationality, while the more general reader will
find the book eminently readable"
Susan Samata, University of
Sheffield
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