Mufwene (linguistics, U. of Chicago), Vigouroux (French, Simon Fraser U.), and 10 contributors offer a collection of essays on the impacts of globalization of African languages. Authors consider whether or not globalization affects language in the same way and at the same rate in different African countries and how the experience of language change differs from one location to another. Authors also examine the trajectories and circumstances of language change and disappearance in southern Africa and globalization and sociolinguistic stratification in North Africa. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)