Review of Proto: A sophisticated explanation of the global expansion of an ancient language

atom
Laura Spinney (Harpercollins (UK) Bloomsbury Publishing (US, May 13))

Laura Spinney’s new book is called rather appetite atomplease ask a question: Proto – what? Prototype, the oldest version of technology? Protoplasm, what belongs to our cells? Or even Protoplanet, a small chunk of space rocks with a big future ahead?

In fact, the answer lies above and above those words: Proto Indo-Europe. This is a great original language that is derived from English among many other tongues that are alive and dead. As Spinney says, “Almost everyone…