A Language of Our Own

"Bakker's work is of great originality and erudition--and even greater ambition: there has been no comparable attempt to deal with an issue that is so intractable and at the same time of such surpassing interest for the theory of language contact and linguistic theory itself."--H.C. Wolfart, University of Manitoba "A major contribution, this book presents a sensible, intensively researched solution to a problem that has long challenged scholars....Linguists, historians, and all students of Métis culture and history will be much in debt to Peter Bakker for his analytical breakthroughs in this field."--Jennifer S.H. Brown, University of Winnipeg "Bakker's exploration of a mixed language involving polysynthesis thus opens new avenues for typological research and renders his book of unquestionable value far beyond the study of Michif itself."--WORD "...[a] fascinating book...Students of pidginization, creolization, or language contact in general will find much here to reward a careful reading....A study such as Bakker's is a vivid reminder that whatever language you are studying does not exist in a vacuum, but is part, not only of the community of its speakers, but also of a larger sociopolitical and linguistic complex....[Bakker] writes here for nonlinguists [and] does it well."--Notes on Linguistics "Bakker's book will deservedly be the main point of reference on Michif for years to come."--Language in Society "Bakker's work is of great originality and erudition--and even greater ambition: there has been no comparable attempt to deal with an issue that is so intractable and at the same time of such surpassing interest for the theory of language contact and linguistic theory itself."--H.C. Wolfart, University of Manitoba "A major contribution, this book presents a sensible, intensively researched solution to a problem that has long challenged scholars....Linguists, historians, and all students of Métis culture and history will be much in debt to Peter Bakker for his analytical breakthroughs in this field."--Jennifer S.H. Brown, University of Winnipeg "A very captivating book....A monument for a language."--Indigo, Amsterdam "Peter Bakker has achieved a tour de force: he has given us a book of incredible erudition and ambition....A Language of Our Own has the stupendous quality of reaching ordinary people interested in the historical, social, and anthropological reality of the Metis culture, as well as those specialists who will appreciate, learn, and find excitement and inspiration in the breadth of this linguist's analysis and discourse."--Great Plains Research "...Bakker's book presents a comprehensive thorough analysis of the Michif language."--Journal of Sociolinguistics "This book...presents a wealth of information about the culture, documented history, and languages of the Canadian Metis....The book is smartly produced and written in generally graceful English....Bakker's book will deservedly be the main point of reference on Michif for years to come."--Language in Society