This month, we will read the first half of Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global, by Spinney.
Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global by Laura Spinney explores the origins and spread of the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) language, the ancestor of nearly half the world's languages, using a multidisciplinary approach that combines linguistics, archaeology, and genetics. The book traces the migration of ancient peoples from the steppes of Eurasia, who carried their language across continents, and details how recent scientific discoveries have reshaped our understanding of this linguistic diaspora. It's a narrative-driven account of how a single tongue evolved into major language families like English, Spanish, Hindi, and Russian, highlighting the connections between language, culture, and human movement.
