The British Academy announced on 22nd October that Ross Perlin is the 2024 British Academy Book Prize Winner for Language City: The Fight to Preserve Endangered Mother Tongues.

The British Academy Book Prize for Global Cultural Understanding is awarded annually to a nonfiction book that deepens understanding of global cultures and societal issues. Established in 2013, it awards £25,000 to works that offer fresh perspectives on human interaction, diversity, and social cohesion. The prize recognizes authors worldwide and emphasizes cultural and intellectual contributions that inspire broad, positive change through literature.

The winner of the 2024 British Academy Book Prize is Ross Perlin. 

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According to the jury, “Language City is a fascinating, captivating social history and contemporary linguistic account of New York City. It offers readers a unique perspective of the city that brings out both the precarity but also the resilience of migrants and their rich and varied languages as they seek to adapt their native tongues to 21st century urban life. At a time when many languages worldwide are disappearing, Ross Perlin celebrates the subtleties of linguistic diversity, treating each with sensitivity and humanity.”

Perlin’s book examines New York City’s linguistic diversity, home to over 700 languages, spotlighting both the resilience of these communities and the challenges they face. The judges celebrated Language City for its insight and humanity. It explores the lives of migrants who strive to preserve their native languages amidst urban pressures.

Perlin will receive £25,000 in recognition of this impactful work, while the shortlisted writers will each receive £ 1,000.

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