Stephen Barbour and Cathie Carmichael, eds., Language and nationalism in Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. Pp. 319. Hb, $70.00.

Abstract

As stated in the title, the topic of this book is the relationships between language and nationalism in Europe, and particularly the “significance of language for nationalism and national identity” (p. 9) – a topic qualified as “fascinating” by the editors (v) and in Barbour's initial chapter (16, 17). A question arises in the reviewer's mind: Is this a unitary, unequivocal subject? Of course, in a certain rather philosophical way it is unitary – which does not mean general agreement even from this philosophical view, but at least it may be identified as “a proper subject.” However, it is not at all unequivocal insofar as the terms of the relationship are not clarified. This is precisely what Barbour's opening chapter intends.