No mean feat

How is language constructed? How does a child learn to speak and read? What
do we mean by “mean”? Gerry Altmann’s fascinating The Ascent of Babel is an
extraordinarily accessible introduction to psycholinguistics, equally valuable
to students of the subject, to linguists, psychologists, philosophers and the
general reader. Altmann’s use of humorous examples makes it a pleasure to read.
Published by Oxford University Press, £18.99/$27.50, ISBN
0198523785.