A Tour of Words and Languages with Books

 

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been on a fascinating journey with two remarkable books: A Wonderland of Words by Shashi Tharoor and Wanderers, Kings, Merchants by Peggy Mohan.

Why read these two books together, one might wonder? Even I do! Like cognate words, they have become, in a sense, "cognate books," as languages and words go hand in hand. Both books found their way to me almost simultaneously.

• A Wonderland of Words is a delightful exploration of the English language, written by Shashi Tharoor, a beloved author I couldn’t ignore on the book’s release.
• Wanderers, Kings, Merchants examines the evolution of languages in India, a Cochin Book Club selection for our “Book of the Month” read.

Words and languages are deeply intertwined.
Words convey thoughts, while languages give them structure. Words hold immense power—they can evoke laughter, bring tears, or illuminate the world with clarity and depth. As Shashi Tharoor eloquently puts it in A Wonderland of Words:

"Words are power, magic, fun, sexy. Words can move you to tears, make you laugh, and show you the world."

Meanwhile, Peggy Mohan’s work emphasizes how words and languages are influenced by migration, societal shifts, and cultural exchanges over millennia. Words, like human lives and civilizations, have life cycles: they are born, adapt, merge, evolve, and sometimes fade into obscurity.

The Tiramisu of Indian Languages
Peggy Mohan uses the metaphor of a "Tiramisu Bear" to describe the development of Indian languages. Much like the dessert, Indian languages consist of layers—each shaped by migrations, cultural exchanges, and historical events.

For instance, Mohan delves into:

• The history of Sanskrit and its evolution.
• The influence of Namboodiri Brahmins on Malayalam.
• How Marathi, Hindi, and other northern languages adopted vocabulary from Prakrits and Sanskrit while retaining unique grammatical structures.
• The mingling of Urdu and Hindi through Turki influences.
• The rise of English post-Independence and its impact on native languages.

These insights were particularly engaging because they relate to languages I am familiar with, making the reading experience even more personal. A Wonderland of Words complemented this exploration beautifully, since languages are, at their core, made of words.

This pairing of books also made me ponder: What will the mother tongue of Generation Alpha in India be?

A Dive into Linguistic Wonders
While Peggy Mohan masterfully dissects the history of Indian languages in Wanderers, Kings, Merchants, Shashi Tharoor brings an entirely different charm to the table. A Wonderland of Words: Around the Word in 101 Essays is a celebration of the English language.

You can open any page and immerse yourself in the sheer joy that words can bring. Some essays are downright hilarious—perfect stress-busters! Tharoor even references Abraham Lincoln's witty take on how "Fish" could theoretically be spelled as “Ghoti” and still pronounced as “Fish”:

• "Gh" as in rough
• "O" as in women
• "Ti" as in motion

Both books are a treasure trove for language lovers. They explore the magic of words and the evolution of languages, offering insights, humor, and a deep appreciation for linguistic diversity.

Over to you—grab these books for a delightful journey through words and languages!