Every Word Is a Bird We Teach to Sing by Daniel Tammet

Tammet’s directly autobiographical accounts slip into the background as he encourages us to follow him on a kind of intellectual circumnavigation of Planet Language.

He also shows us-more or less indirectly-the fatuousness of teaching methods that assume and presume that everyone learns in the same way (think: our current obsession with standardized testing). Tammet begins with probably the most engaging and revealing section of his entire text: an account of how he, born with “high-functioning autism,” learned language, a process involving numbers, colors, poems, and a most fecund imagination. “Why Do We Say That?: 101 Idioms, Phrases, Sayings & Facts – A Brief History on Where They Come From” by Scott Matthews.The author of Thinking in Numbers: On Life, Love, Meaning, and Math (2013, etc.) shows us that language is a far more ornately feathered fowl than casual consideration can conceive.“The Illustrated Book of Sayings: Curious Expressions from Around the World” by Ella Frances Sanders.“Every Word is a Bird We Teach to Sing: Encounters with the Mysteries and Meanings of Language” by Daniel Tammet.

“Don’t Believe a Word: The Surprising Truth About Language” by David Shariatmadari.Therefore, I encourage word nerds to indulge your wordy appetite by checking out the titles in this week’s reading list. However, enjoying a salad of words sounds fun and delicious. Writing guides advise against using overly wordy sentences, or what is sometimes referred to as “word salad.” I agree with this advice. The best thing about this is that I can eat my words and not feel bad about it. “Romaine Wasn’t Built in a Day” by Judith Tschann piqued my interest after reading the publisher’s description: “Food historian Judith Tschann celebrates this glorious intersection of linguistic and culinary affinities … a decadent romp through the history of food words.” I love words - and I happen to love food - so this is a win-win in my world.

I wasn’t planning on making today’s column about words, but I came across a new title that prompted me to search the library’s catalog for additional linguistic-related books. Numbers may be my nemesis, but words have always been my friends.Īre you a word nerd like me? I hope you are because this week’s reading list is all about language. Email her at a very early age, I fell in love with words, and I was fortunate to have parents who encouraged my passion for reading and writing. Jan Johnston is the Collection Development Coordinator for Fort Vancouver Regional Libraries.

Every Word Is a Bird We Teach to Sing by Daniel Tammet