Does it matter which language you speak? Words have the power to transform our lives

Scientists and linguists dive into the history and power of language.

English has only one word for love, but other languages have many. Greek, for example, has seven—eros for romantic, passionate love, philia for intimate friendship, agape for universal love, and so on. If we English speakers had more words to describe love—more colors to paint with, so to speak—might our experience of connection and intimacy be different, perhaps even richer? If questions like this pique your curiosity, check out the five fascinating books below on how language shapes our lives.

The Power of Language: How the Codes We Use to Think, Speak, and Live Transform Our Minds By Viorica Marian A Northwestern University psychologist reveals how to harness the power of language to develop our critical reasoning skills, improve decision-making under pressure, and much more. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Viorica Marian, in the Next Big Idea App Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English By Valerie Fridland Paranoid about the “ums” and “uhs” that pepper your presentations? Bewildered by “hella” or the meteoric rise of “so”? A renowned linguist reveals that these features of speech are actually some of the most dynamic and revolutionary tools at our disposal.

Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Valerie Fridland, in the Next Big Idea App Mother Tongue: The Surprising History of Women’s Words By Jenni Nuttall An enlightening linguistic journey through a thousand years of feminist language—and what we can learn from the vivid vocabulary that English once had for women’s bodies, experiences, and sexuality. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author Jenni Nuttall, in the Next Big Idea App Turning Pages: The Adventures and Misadventures of a Publisher By John Sargent This behind-the-scenes look at some of the biggest moments in publishing over the past several decades is a must-read for every person who loves books and has always wondered about the industry surrounding them. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by author John Sargent, in the Next Big Idea App The Language Game: How Improvisation Created Language and Changed the World By Morten H. Christiansen and Nick Chater Two cognitive scientists find compelling solutions to major mysteries like the origins of languages and how language learning is possible, and to long-running debates such as whether having two words for “blue” changes what we see. Listen to our Book Bite summary, read by coauthors Morten H. Christiansen and Nick Chater, in the Next Big Idea App

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