The Story of Human Language

I've listened to a handful of titles from The Great Courses - this series from 2004 is among the best I've found. John McWhorter takes the listener on a broad tour of the study of language, including prominent language families, how language changes over time, and how dialects, pidgins, and creoles emerge. McWhorter infuses humor and personal anecdotes with the lecture material, creating an engaging and thoughtful overview of natural language.