1 Baby Talk
2 From crying to words
3 Learning how to understand
4 sound waves
5 Pronunciation
6. Discovery of Grammar
7. Talk
8 Learning to Read and Write
9. Struggle with spelling
10 Spelling Rules and Their Variations
11 Grammar Rules and Their Variants
12 Accents and Dialects
13 Bilingualism
14 languages ​​​​around the world
15 Origin of the word
16 The Origin of Writing
17 Today's notation
18 Sign Language
Comparison of 19 languages
20 Disappearing Languages
21 The evolution of language
22 Language Variations
23 Occupational Words
24 Slang
25 dictionary
26 Etymology
27 Place names
28 people
29 Electronic Revolution
30 text messages
31 Play Language
32 Why do we need languages?
33 Language to express emotions
34 Political Fairness
35 Literary Language
36 Style Development
37 The Complexity of Language
38 Linguistics
39 Applied Linguistics
40 Your Language World

Translator's Note
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Can you imagine a world without speech and writing?
Let's talk about the future by recognizing the importance of language and looking into its history!

Is there anything more important and essential to our lives and human history than language? Yet, how much do we really know about the language we speak, listen, write, and read every moment? Beyond the fragmentary notion that language is a medium for expressing and communicating our desires, emotions, and thoughts, even a slight interest in it leads to a never-ending stream of questions about its fundamental systems, learning processes, origins and evolution, and its application in various fields.
Each of these fields has expanded into its own domain, such as phonetics, grammar, semantics, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, and historical linguistics.
Of course, this book does not discuss academic knowledge about language.
It answers questions that general readers may have had about language at least once.
When did humans begin using speech and writing? Why do people who speak the same language have different pronunciations and intonations? How were the new words and emoticons used online created, and how will they evolve in the future? How do we learn and master speech and writing from infancy to adulthood? Ultimately, what does language mean to humans, and are there ways to utilize it more efficiently and effectively?

The author of this book, David Crystal, is a world-renowned linguist who clearly answers the many questions anyone might have about language.
This book, consisting of 40 chapters, reads smoothly and naturally, and by adding related cases and interesting stories at the end of each chapter, it makes what may seem like a stiff topic at first glance fresh and lively.
In particular, despite being a professional linguist, his desire for more people to take an interest in language without being confined to a rigid framework, and his sorrow for languages ​​that are disappearing, are evident throughout.
He also offers advice to those interested in language.
Recognize the importance of linguistic diversity, maintain a constant interest in minority languages ​​and your own home country, strive to learn as many languages ​​as possible, and take the lead in helping people with language disabilities.
These efforts are said to be efforts to make the current language world richer and more beneficial.

This book focuses on illuminating general views on language.
Each of the world's approximately 6,000 languages ​​has its own unique characteristics.
Each language has different pronunciation rules, grammar, vocabulary, and conversation rules, and when written down, each language has its own spelling and punctuation rules.
Speaking and writing styles, accents and dialects, and literature also differ.
Yet human language has some things in common.
A baby born in the UK learns to speak English, and a baby born in China learns to speak Chinese, but the conversations and language acquisition processes between mother and baby are largely the same.
Over thousands of years of evolution, humans have developed vocal cords to speak, women have higher pitched voices than men, and the process by which children recognize and learn letters is not much different.

A world of different yet common languages ​​that everyone must know
From the first languages ​​to dying languages, and the diverse patterns of language that constantly change!

The first question in the history of language is undoubtedly the origin of speech and writing.
To be able to speak, you need a vocal organ that can produce various sounds and a brain that converts the sounds into words or sentences. By comparing the shape of the skull and neck bones that remain as remains with those of modern humans, researchers have concluded that sounds somewhat similar to human speech were produced around 30,000 BC.
The first written language of mankind is believed to have been drawn on cave walls around 30,000 BC.
Around 3400 BC, a new writing system was developed in which scribes carved symbols onto clay tablets, which gave way about 1,000 years later to a collection of wedge-shaped symbols written in reeds, called descriptive script.
According to what has been discovered so far, the first true writing system in the history of human development was cuneiform, and it has been said that Egypt, China, Central America, and other places developed their own unique writing systems over a long period of time.

The process of language variation is also interesting.
Different pronunciations, accents, and spellings emerged depending on social class and region, and the language used by those with social influence gained the status of 'standard', and this tradition continues to this day.
Additionally, speech patterns and grammar differ depending on age, gender, and racial group, as language is the most reliable indicator of the social class to which an individual belongs.
Depending on the type of relationship you have with someone, the words and titles you use will change, and the location can also determine the way you speak.
In formal settings such as courts or parliaments, it should be referred to as it is, and in newspapers or video productions, it should be referred to in the appropriate written form for the purpose.

Another issue that must be addressed is the issue of 'crisis languages' that have extremely small user numbers and are likely to soon disappear.
Linguists say that a language is disappearing every two weeks today, with the grim prediction that half the world's languages ​​will be extinct within the next 100 years.
Government suppression of minority languages ​​and the individual's desire for success through learning new languages ​​are cited as factors that undermine the preservation of linguistic diversity, and various solutions are being proposed or implemented to address these issues.
One example is the 'language nests' implemented in New Zealand, where Maori children learn the Maori language thoroughly before leaving the 'nest', and then later, as adults, they take the initiative to help the next generation learn the language.

The widespread use of computers and mobile phones has completely changed modern language life.
Communication methods such as email, chat, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, text messaging, online games, and web browsing have given rise to a variety of writing styles and new words.
Abbreviations, emoticons, and wordplay create entirely new forms of writing that break with traditional spelling and punctuation conventions.
Through these examples, we can gauge how our language life will change in the future.

In an age where verbal abuse and malicious comments threaten individual lives,
Let's reflect on what language really means to humans!
Words and writing have become weapons. It's time for dignified and healthy language choices.

The purpose of humans speaking, writing, and signing is to communicate smoothly with each other.
Most of the content covered in this book is related to that.
We share our thoughts and views with each other through language.
We use language to ask others for information or to convey our thoughts to others.
Sometimes we tell the truth, but sometimes we lie.
Although the circumstances may be different, the basic purpose remains the same.
We want to transfer the thoughts in our heads into the heads of others.
To make it happen, we speak, write and sign.
But that's not all.

In cases such as playful language for mere fun, expressions of identity or emotion, greetings to show courtesy or ease awkwardness, or rituals in auction houses, religious groups, or social organizations, language is not used as a means of communication or information transmission.
One of the essential reasons we need to know about language is to recognize that many people try to manipulate our thoughts and feelings through their unique speech and writing, and to find ways to deal with it.
They try to influence our behavior by effectively selecting specific vocabulary, pronunciation, sentence patterns, etc.
This is also a strategy frequently used by politicians in their speeches to persuade voters and win their votes, or by marketers and advertising agencies to stimulate consumers and create demand for a particular product.
To avoid being fooled, you need keen insight to see through their intentions.
In this way, language also makes us think and feel about something.
Language is more than just a tool for communication.

Today, we live in an era where internet use has become a part of our daily lives and various media outlets have emerged, leading to an overabundance of verbal abuse and fake news, and personal attacks and malicious comments that can shatter individual lives in an instant.
Therefore, choosing healthy and timely words and writing has become more important than ever.
You must always keep in mind how to speak and express yourself so that you can humbly accept the other person's point of view without influencing your own emotions.
There is no need to raise your voice, make insulting remarks, swear, or get up and leave in a fit of rage.
All you have to do is take care to ensure that the appropriately chosen language works properly.
Words and writing should not become weapons that hurt someone or even take their life.
"Why did humans need to learn to speak, write, and sign?" "What is the purpose of using language?" It's time to reflect on our current linguistic practices while pondering these questions.