Water, Whiskey, and Vodka : A Story of Slavic Languages

"Water, Whiskey, and Vodka -- these words seem to have nothing in common but in Slavic languages, each of them comes from the same root. In this book, Danko Sipka leads us through the fascinating history and development of Slavic languages, teaching us how to understand its speakers along the way. Accessible and engaging, this book tells the story of what a Slavic language is, how they developed into the languages we know and study today, and the cultural nuances between each language and the people who speak them. Rooted in linguistics, the book also addresses the sociolinguistic context of Slavic languages, touching on the historical events, cultural shifts and differences that can help us understand the languages we call Slavic"-- A fascinating cultural and linguistic history of the Slavic languages, exploring the deep connections and distinctions between them Water, whiskey, and vodka are three words that seem to have nothing in common, but each of them comes from the same root. Water, Whiskey, and Vodka takes a deep dive into the origins of the Slavic languages, from a common ancestor language through various cultural and historical shifts to arrive at the current breadth of languages. The book takes a captivating look at the unique sociolinguistic context of the Slavic languages and pays special attention to the cultural subtleties particular to each one and the people who speak it. Danko Šipka touches on the origins of the Slavic languages, their linguistic similarities and differences, word borrowing across them all, and the cultural importance of languages even within this family of languages. Water, Whiskey, and Vodka will fascinate readers—whether or not they speak Slavic languages—interested in the history and development of one or more Slavic languages. Writing from the Slavic linguistic tradition, where talking about language happens in the public sphere, he offers readers a deeper understanding of various Slavic cultural traditions and historical events as they are reflected in their languages. A fascinating cultural and linguistic history of the Slavic languages, exploring the deep connections and distinctions between them Water, whiskey, and vodka are three words that seem to have nothing in common, but each of them comes from the same root. Water, Whiskey, and Vodka takes a deep dive into the origins of the Slavic languages, from a common ancestor language through various cultural and historical shifts to arrive at the current breadth of languages. The book takes a captivating look at the unique sociolinguistic context of the Slavic languages and pays special attention to the cultural subtleties particular to each one and the people who speak it. Danko ipka touches on the origins of the Slavic languages, their linguistic similarities and differences, word borrowing across them all, and the cultural importance of languages even within this family of languages. Water, Whiskey, and Vodka will fascinate readers whether or not they speak Slavic languages interested in the history and development of one or more Slavic languages. Writing from the Slavic linguistic tradition, where talking about language happens in the public sphere, he offers readers a deeper understanding of various Slavic cultural traditions and historical events as they are reflected in their languages. Cover page Title page Copyright page Contents List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Abbreviations Introduction 1. What Is a Slavic Language, and How Do Language and Culture Interact? Part I: Nuts and Bolts 2. Water, Whiskey, and Vodka: How Slavic Languages Came to Be 3. The Sounds of the Slavs: Like Dancing in the Air 4. The Forms of Slavic Words: Bending and Gendering Part II: Words, Words, Words 5. How Time and Space Split Slavic Roots 6. How Well Do Slavs Understand Each Other? 7. How Slavic Languages Lend and Borrow Words Part III: Languages as Tools of Cultures 8. Pens and Peasants: How Slavic Literacies Have Emerged 9. Slavic Rock Star Linguists 10. Slavic Language Wars Appendix: Transcription and Pronunciation Guide Bibliography Index About the Author