- Babel-17
infobox Book |
name = Babel-17
title_orig =
translator =
image_caption = Cover of first edition paperback
author =Samuel R. Delany
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country =United States
language = English
series =
genre =Science fiction novel
publisher =Ace Books
release_date = 1966
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Hardcover &Paperback )
pages = 173 pp
isbn = NA
preceded_by =
followed_by ="Babel-17" is a 1966
science fiction novel bySamuel R. Delany in which theSapir-Whorf Hypothesis (that language strongly influences thought and perceived reality) plays an important part. It was joint winner of theNebula Award for Best Novel in 1966 (with "Flowers for Algernon ") and was also nominated for theHugo Award for Best Novel in 1967.Delany hoped to have "Babel-17" originally published as a single volume with the novella "
Empire Star ", but this did not happen until the 2001 reprint.Plot summary
During an interstellar war one side develops a language, "Babel 17", that can be used as a weapon. Learning it turns one into an unwilling traitor as it alters perception and thought. The change is made more dangerous by the language's seductive enhancement of other abilities. This is discovered by the beautiful starship captain, linguist, poet, and telepath Rydra Wong. She is recruited by her government to discover how the enemy are infiltrating and sabotaging strategic sites. Initially Babel-17 is thought to be a code used by enemy agents. Rydra Wong realises it is a language, and finds herself becoming a traitor as she learns it. She is rescued by her dedicated crew, figures out the danger, and neutralizes its effects.
The novel deals with several issues related to the peculiarities of language, how conditions of life shape the formation of words and meaning, and how the words themselves can shape the actions of people.
Language
Babel-17 Language contains interesting linguistic features is the absence of a pronoun or any other construction for "I". The novel takes an implicitly Whorfian view of language, as the heroine finds her perceptions (and even her physical abilities) altered once she has learned Babel-17. In this it resembles a number of other
science fiction novels which deal with language, such as "Native Tongue" bySuzette Haden Elgin , "The Languages of Pao " byJack Vance , and the short storyStory of Your Life byTed Chiang .External links
* [http://www.oneringcircus.com/b17_errata.html Errata for Babel-17, approved by the author.]
References
*cite book | last=Clute | first=John | authorlink=John Clute | coauthors=Nicholls, Peter | title=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction | location=New York | publisher=St. Martin's Press | pages=1386 | date=1995| id=ISBN 0-312134-86-X
*cite book | last=Clute | first=John | authorlink=John Clute | coauthors=Nicholls, Peter | title=The Multimedia Encyclopedia of Science Fiction | location=Danbury, CT | publisher=Grolier | pages=CD-ROM | date=1995 | id=ISBN 0-7172-3999-3
*cite book | last= Nicholls | first= Peter | authorlink=Peter Nicholls | title= The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction | publisher= Granada Publishing Ltd. | pages=672 | date=1979 | location= St Albans, Herts, UK | id=ISBN 0-586-05380-8
*cite book | last=Jakubowski | first=Maxim | authorlink=Maxim Jakubowski | coauthors=Edwards, Malcolm | title=The Complete Book of Science Fiction and Fantasy Lists | location= St Albans, Herts, UK | publisher= Granada Publishing Ltd. | pages=350 |date=1983 | id=ISBN 0-586-05678-5
*cite book | last=Pringle | first=David | authorlink=David Pringle | title=The Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction |location=London | publisher=Grafton Books Ltd. | pages=407 | date=1990 | id=ISBN 0-246-13635-9
*cite book | last=Tuck | first=Donald H. | authorlink=Donald H. Tuck | title=The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy | location=Chicago | publisher=Advent | pages=136 | date=1974 | id=ISBN 0-911682-20-1
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