The Acquisition of Language

These curious tales all have something to do with language: Does one really have to queue to be assigned a language at birth? How could one go about communicating with an alien but sentient 'thing'? Are words sufficient to navigate through the numerical labyrinth of Manhattan? Can the sum total of all human knowledge be transferred to electromagnetic circuits in rock? Can one improve one's memory by acquiring a conservatory in one's autumn years? Can language be acquired by a vegetal implant? The stories comprising this volume do not answer any of these questions, but considering them at least provides food for thought.