Hardback : £6.70
An acclaimed psycholinguist reveals how language shapes our brain - and moulds the way we look at the world
Why should we learn more than one language?
Can it change the way we think?
Does it have the power to transform how we see the world?
You may think you speak only one language. In fact, your mind is interpreting multiple codes of communication. Some people speak Spanish, some Mandarin. Some speak poetry, some are fluent in maths. Humans are built for multilingualism.
Drawing on cutting-edge research and theory, delivered with wit and lucid insight, psycholinguist Viorica Marian explores the ways in which the mind uses multiple languages and how, in doing so, we can open the doors to unique forms of creativity, brain health and cognitive control. Every new language we speak - whether it is coding or musical notes, Hindi or Arabic - shapes how we extract and interpret information. It alters what we remember, how we perceive ourselves and those around us, how we feel, the insights we have, the decisions we make and the actions we take.
The Power of Language lays bare how we use different linguistic codes to think about the world - and change our place within it. Empowering and practical, this is the perfect guide for anyone interested in how language really works.
An acclaimed psycholinguist reveals how language shapes our brain - and moulds the way we look at the world
Why should we learn more than one language?
Can it change the way we think?
Does it have the power to transform how we see the world?
You may think you speak only one language. In fact, your mind is interpreting multiple codes of communication. Some people speak Spanish, some Mandarin. Some speak poetry, some are fluent in maths. Humans are built for multilingualism.
Drawing on cutting-edge research and theory, delivered with wit and lucid insight, psycholinguist Viorica Marian explores the ways in which the mind uses multiple languages and how, in doing so, we can open the doors to unique forms of creativity, brain health and cognitive control. Every new language we speak - whether it is coding or musical notes, Hindi or Arabic - shapes how we extract and interpret information. It alters what we remember, how we perceive ourselves and those around us, how we feel, the insights we have, the decisions we make and the actions we take.
The Power of Language lays bare how we use different linguistic codes to think about the world - and change our place within it. Empowering and practical, this is the perfect guide for anyone interested in how language really works.
Viorica Marian is the Ralph and Jean Sundin Endowed Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Professor of Psychology at Northwestern University. She speaks, has studied, or has conducted research in a dozen languages, including English, Romanian, Russian (her primary languages), as well as American Sign Language, Cantonese, Dutch, French, German, Mandarin, Spanish, Thai and Ukrainian. Her work has been featured on NPR, PBS, NBC and the BBC.
Sparkles with insight. After reading this book, you will see and
hear words differently-and feel a deeper appreciation for the sheer
majesty of the human mind. (Bonus: It will also make you want to
learn Swedish, Spanish, or Swahili!) Viorica Marian takes her place
alongside Steven Pinker and George Lakoff as the author of an
essential work about the science of language.
*#1 New York Times bestselling author of Drive, When, and The Power
of Regret*
A uniquely original, fresh, and powerful perspective that promises
to shape the scientific study of language and mind well into the
future. The focus is not so much on how the mind does language as
on what language does for the mind and its user, and crucially, on
what the consequences are, for individuals and entire societies, of
having more than one language in that mind.
*former editor of Cognition: The International Journal of
Cognitive Science, and award-winning author of The Ascent of
Babel*
A highly engaging and personal journey into the superpower you
didn't know you had!
*professor of psychology, Cornell University, author
of The Language Game*
Whether or not you have reflected on language, whether or not you
speak or think in several languages, you will learn a lot from this
well-researched and well written book.
*professor, Harvard Graduate School of Education, author of Frames
of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences*
Beautifully shows all the ways that learning a second language can
do so much more than simply add another way of talking; it can
fortify your brain to make you sharper, wiser, more creative, and
more open-minded.
*professor of cognitive science, University of California, author
of Who You Are and The Continuity of Mind*
Viorica Marian marshals her extensive research experience, broad
knowledge of science, and a personal and engaging style in telling
the story of the one arguably most human cognitive faculty:
language. Read it, and you'll be better for it!
*professor of psychology, Cornell University*
An absorbing account of how language wires the brain. Some of the
most intriguing conclusions are related to bilingualism and
multilingualism, which have been shown to delay Alzheimer's,
increase the brain's gray matter, and positively impact social
cognition in children. Full of delightful insights, this book is
thoroughly researched and compulsively readable.
*Kirkus*
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