Dr. Viorica Marian is the Ralph and Jean Sundin Endowed
Professor of Communication Sciences and Disorders and professor of
psychology at Northwestern University. Since 2000, Marian has
directed the university's Bilingualism and Psycholinguistics
Research Lab, receiving funding from the National Institutes of
Health and the National Science Foundation. She previously served
as chair of the National Institutes of Health Language and
Communication Study Section (2020-2022) and chair of the
Northwestern University Department of Communication Sciences and
Disorders (2011-2014).
Marian is a native speaker of Romanian; a native-like speaker of
Russian; a fluent speaker of English; and has studied or conducted
research with a variety of other languages, including American Sign
Language, Cantonese, Dutch, French, German, Mandarin, Spanish,
Thai, and Ukrainian.
Apart from scientific papers, Marian has written for Scientific
American, Psychology Today, The Hill, Medium, Latino USA, Los
Angeles Review of Books, and Chicago Tribune. Her work has been
featured on NPR, PBS, BBC, NBC, and CBS, as well as many podcasts.
"Full of delightful insights, this book is thoroughly researched
and compulsively readable."
—Kirkus
"Marian, a professor of communication sciences and disorders at
Northwestern University, makes a convincing case for
multilingualism in her illuminating debut… Marian’s extensive
research and thoughtful analysis lend this entry weight, and the
lay reader-friendly prose makes it all go down smoothly. Curious
monolinguals will be inspired to expand their linguistic
horizons."
—Publishers Weekly
"The Power of Language 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."
—Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Drive,
When, and The Power of Regret
"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."
—Howard Gardner, professor, Harvard Graduate School of Education,
author of the seminal bestseller Frames of Mind: The Theory of
Multiple Intelligences
"There exist countless books on language, each one a variant, it
sometimes appears, of the ones that preceded it. But Viorica Marian
has done the seemingly impossible—given us a uniquely original,
fresh, and powerful perspective that promises to shape the
scientific study of language and mind well into the future. Her
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. Specialist and non-specialist
readers alike will be captivated."
—Gerry Altmann, 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!"
—Morten H. Christiansen, professor of psychology, Cornell
University, professor in cognitive science of language, Aarhus
University, Denmark, senior scientist,
Haskins Laboratories, author of The Language Game
"If you speak only one language, you might be tempted to assume
there's only one way to see the world. Many Americans took a couple
years of a second language in high school but went no further.
Meanwhile, the American poet Ferlinghetti wrote: Pity the nation
that knows no other language than its own. In The Power of
Language, Dr. Viorica Marian – an internationally renown expert in
bilingualism research – 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. And she
provides the scholarly receipts for her evidence in a comprehensive
Notes section. With clear prose, insightful analogies, and a sly
sense of humor, Marian reports masterfully on the science of
bilingualism to reveal that one of the most effective ways for any
monolingual to expand and improve their mind is to learn a second
language."
—Michael J. Spivey, professor of cognitive science, University of
California, author of Who You Are and The Continuity of Mind
"In this easy-to-read and informative book, Professor 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. Among
other things, this book explains how the mastery of language — or,
even better, of several languages — helps us think better, live
better for longer, and be better to each other. Read it, and you’ll
be better for it!"
—Shimon Edelman, professor of psychology, Cornell University,
author of Computing the Mind
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