"The Power of Language" Book Talk with Dr. Viorica Marian

On April 17, 2023, the Northwestern Roberta Buffett Institute for Global Affairs hosted a book talk with Dr. Viorica Marian, the author of The Power of Language: How the Codes We Use to Think, Speak and Live Transform Our Minds, released on April 4, 2023. Dr. Viorica Marian presented highlights from her new book, and discussants Dr. Dedre Gentner and Dr. Ann Bradlow responded. Dr. Annelise Riles, Executive Director of the Northwestern Buffett Institute, moderated the audience Q&A.

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In the midst of the ongoing revolution in global cross-cultural communication, there has never been a better time to embrace the virtually unlimited power of language. Dr. Marian's book The Power of Language reveals that while you may think you can speak only one language, in fact your mind is built to master multiple codes of communication. Some people speak Spanish, some Mandarin. Some speak poetry, some are fluent in math. Most important, using multiple languages opens doors to creativity, brain health and cognitive control. And you can start today.

Every new language we speak shapes how we extract and interpret information. It alters what we remember, how we perceive ourselves and the world around us, how we feel, the insights we have, the decisions we make and the actions we take. Language is an invaluable tool for organizing, processing and structuring information, and thereby unleashing radical advancement.