This is an introductory book about the history and contemporary usage of the Chinese language.

Chinese is generally considered a difficult language. It is also a fascinating and important language that cannot be ignored. A growing number of English speakers are learning the Chinese language to the enrichment of their lives and the admiration of their friends. Chinese does, however, present a number of challenges. Written Chinese looks like a random set of stroke, dots and dashes. In its handwritten form it looks like a series of undifferentiated squiggles. Spoken Chinese sounds...

The Kitan language and script have disappeared from history for more than 800 years. Recent research has partially deciphered a number of Kitan inscriptions, reveal significantly more of its lexicon and morphology. This book summarises the current state of research.