Official Review: 12 Months of the Year in 850 Languages

[MsH2k]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Twelve Months of the Year in 850 Languages and Dialects" by Kukisvoomchor.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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You may ask, “Why would I need to know the twelve months of the year in 850 languages and dialects?” That is a fair question. In this book’s introduction, author Kukisvoomchor gives a couple of whimsical scenarios where this information would come in handy. But his valediction, “Yours for cultural exploration,” reveals the true purpose of The Twelve Months of the Year in 850 Languages and Dialects.

For over ten years, the author compiled information about these mostly non-traditional languages and created a database that is used at CuriousNotions.com and is the source for this book. The website shows, among other interesting things, the current date in any of the 850 languages and dialects. Many of the entries also have links to a YouTube channel where you can hear that language spoken. The Jicarilla dialect of the Apache language intrigued me because the description in the book noted that “a vowel can carry tones.” Following the links on the website, I was able to listen to key phrases spoken in this dialect.

What I liked most about this book was the layout of the information. This feature may seem trivial, but the consistency of the format and the clear communication style made reading about 850 languages and dialects a breeze. The translations of the names of the months provided a glimpse into the culture of the people. Some languages even had specific names for each day of the month. If the native calendar was not oriented to the Gregorian calendar (the case for some extinct languages), the author would align them to fit the 12-month scheme logically.

Reading this book became like playing a game, looking for something about each entry that captured my attention. I would often research geographic areas I was not familiar with, particularly in Africa and Oceania. Trivia lovers and movie buffs would enjoy the treats Kukisvoomchor sprinkles throughout this reference. His 20-year animation design experience in and around Hollywood no doubt provided access to the bits of linguistic lore you will discover. Examples include the language used in the video game Minecraft and the Northeast Bantu language spoken in Return of the Jedi.

As one who loves warm weather, I was astounded by the calendar in Ahtna, the language of residents in Alaska’s Copper River area. The third month of the year translates to “Seventh month of snow,” followed by the fourth month, “Water freezes only in the morning.”

It was sad to note when a language was extinct, especially when the author listed the name of the last native speaker. Contrastingly, there were several cases where communities were reviving endangered languages by including them as part of the curriculum in schools.

While I cannot validate the content of this book (besides Kukisvoomchor, I doubt many can), I respect the author’s effort to compile this information, and I applaud his meticulous references and disclaimers. After the 850 listings, the author includes additional information about the people and regions referenced, a glossary of terms, and an index of all the languages and dialects by language family. There is nothing I dislike about the book, but it would be great to have a cross-reference of the languages and dialects by continent for those of us less geographically savvy.

I rate The Twelve Months of the Year in 850 Languages and Dialects 4 out of 4 stars. This book is a well-organized presentation of current and historical cultures spanning the globe. There is no profanity or erotic content, so it is appropriate for all ages. I recommend this read to anyone with a curious mind. History lovers and linguists would especially appreciate the content.

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The Twelve Months of the Year in 850 Languages and Dialects
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[Nqobile Mashinini Tshabalala]

I know a couple of anthropologists who would love to get their hands on this book. Thanks for an insightful review!

[Fabulous mind]

It will be amazing learning the names of the 12 months of the year in various languages. The author did a good work putting this out, and I'm sure it would make an interesting read. I enjoyed your review.

[Faithy_Goody_Star]

The fact that the author worked on this book for a long time shows that it will be an insightful read. Nice review!

[Joan642]

I find this book intriguing, and I know I would learn a lot from it because I have always been open to learning different languages. I will definitely check this one out. Thanks for your honest review.

[Sou Hi]

Wow, this book seems interesting. I know that the week's days are named after the planetary bodies, Roman and Norse gods, so researching the months' origins in other languages would be exciting as well.

[Yvonne Monique]

The author must have done so much research to write this book, amazing!

[Raluca_Mihaila]

It looks like an interesting read.
Thank you for this engaging review!

[MsH2k]

I know a couple of anthropologists who would love to get their hands on this book. Thanks for an insightful review!

I hope they check it out. Thank you for your comment!

[MsH2k]

It will be amazing learning the names of the 12 months of the year in various languages. The author did a good work putting this out, and I'm sure it would make an interesting read. I enjoyed your review.

Compiling this information over the years truly seemed to be a labor of love. I was amazed at all the interesting facts the author shared.
Thank you for your comment.

[MsH2k]

The fact that the author worked on this book for a long time shows that it will be an insightful read. Nice review!

The author was meticulous in presenting the information, and it was quite entertaining. He included fun trivia facts to keep the content interesting. Thank you for your visit and for your comment!

[MsH2k]

I find this book intriguing, and I know I would learn a lot from it because I have always been open to learning different languages. I will definitely check this one out. Thanks for your honest review.

I hope you decide to check out this book. I especially enjoyed reading the meanings of the names of the months. The translations revealed so much about the cultures. Thank you for your comment.

[Gloria Letago]

Sounds like an interesting read indeed, would love to read it.

[MsH2k]

Wow, this book seems interesting. I know that the week's days are named after the planetary bodies, Roman and Norse gods, so researching the months' origins in other languages would be exciting as well.

You really get a glimpse of the culture and environment in the translations and the fun facts the author provides. I found this book quite interesting. Thanks for your comment, Sou Hi!

[MsH2k]

The author must have done so much research to write this book, amazing!

It really was amazing! I was especially impressed with the notes on the intricacies of some of the languages. There was one (#614) where the prefix of the words would correspond to the physical traits of person spoken to.
Thanks for stopping by!