NON-FICTION
Now You’re Talking
Speech and language is such a fascinating topic — after all, some scientists have said it’s what really sets humans apart from other animals — but how far does that go, exactly?
Very far, actually, and in countless ways that probably never previously occurred to you; at least that’s what reading Trevor Cox’s Now You’re Talking has left me thinking.
Cox, a professor of acoustic engineering at University of Salford, sets off on a journey to explore the endless elements
that make up human conversation, delving into how evolution has shaped the bones, muscles and nerve responses that give us the physical capacity to create and decipher sound; the role of things like dialect, accent and tone, plus speech defects and brain injuries (and the impact and influence these can have socially and interpersonally); right through to how more modern factors like recording technology and talking robots are continuing to inform and
shift our understanding and appreciation of human speech, drawing on scientific studies, theories, case studies and expert interviews, and peppered with anecdotes and observations that ensure Cox’s passion for his subject weaves through every page.
A brain-pleasing and entertaining read for anybody with a keen interest in human sciences and the art and function of conversation. You will thoroughly enjoy it.