The Power of Language

How the Codes We Use to Think, Speak, and Live Transform Our Minds

“Acclaimed psycholinguist, Dr. Viorica Marian, reveals how language shapes our brain - and moulds the way we look at the world.

While you may think you speak only one language, in fact your mind accommodates multiple codes of communication. Some people speak Spanish, some Mandarin. Some speak poetry, some are fluent in maths. We are built for multilingualism.

With wit and lucid insight, drawing on cutting-edge research and theory, 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 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 the different codes we use to think about the world change our place within it. Empowering and practical, it is the perfect primer for anyone interested in how language really works.” 

Penguin Random House