Reviewed by Bojana Petrić, Eötvös Loránd University

In this inspiring book, Aneta Pavlenko argues against the monolingual bias in linguistics, which ‘privilege[s] the knowledge and competencies of the linguistic minority [i.e. monolinguals]’ (5), and aims to offer instead ‘a more nuanced and sophisticated understanding of bi- and multilingualism on the example of one field—language and emotions’ (3).

The first two chapters provide a foundation for the rest of the book as they offer an overview of major concepts and findings from research into bi- and multilingualism (Ch. 1, 1–21) and the relationship between emotions and multilingualism (Ch. 2, 22–43). P points to blind spots and their consequences in the two fields: on the one hand, the lack of bi- or multilingual perspectives in crosslinguistic research on emotions has led to validity and reliability problems since researchers’ and informants’ linguistic histories, and their impact on data collection and interpretation have rarely been taken into account or reported (Ch. 1). On the other hand, emotions—reduced to constructs such as attitudes or anxiety—have been understood too narrowly in the study of bilingualism and second language acquisition (Ch. 2).

Chs. 3, 4, and 5 explore the languages of emotions, focusing on vocal, semantic, and discourse levels respectively. Here P thoroughly reviews an impressive number of studies from a range of fields on similarities and differences between the ways emotions are expressed and interpreted in different languages through vocal cues (Ch. 3, 44–76), semantic concepts and terms (Ch. 4, 77–111), and features of discourse (Ch. 5, 112–50). She points to the scarcity of studies on bi- and multilinguals and shows how research focusing on their vocal cues, emotion lexicons, and discursive strategies for expressing emotions in their respective languages can contribute to both studies of multilingualism and language emotionality.

Chs. 6 and 7 discuss the relationship between languages and emotions from two angles: Ch. 6 (151–91) focuses on the neurophysiological level, while Ch. 7 (192–226) explores social cognition. Drawing on psycholinguistic, neurolinguistic, and psychoanalytic sources, P develops a theory of language embodiment to explain why bilinguals perceive their emotional selves as different in their different languages (Ch. 6). The theory posits that bi- and multilinguals’ languages are embodied and physically experienced to different degrees depending on the context of acquisition and extent to which socialization and affective language conditioning occurred in their respective languages. Ch. 7 turns to wider social, ideological, historical, and political factors in exploring the role of emotions in bi- and multilinguals’ linguistic decision-making, highlighting the relationship between emotions, languages, and identities.

In Ch. 8 (227–45) P develops an integrated perspective on emotions and multilingualism and discusses numerous avenues for future research involving bi- and multilingual participants. The book finishes with recommendations for procedures for data collection, reporting, and analysis in research on emotions and multilingualism.

Drawing on a wide range of sources from linguistics, psychology, anthropology, neurolinguistics, and other fields, and using examples from her own experience as a multilingual and cases of famous translingual writers, P has written an exceptional scholarly work, which will be of interest to researchers from different fields. Her critical observations about shortcomings of various strands of research and taken-for-granted research procedures make the book an intellectually stimulating and thought-provoking read. The book is also highly enjoyable as P skilfully weaves together detailed analysis, insightful synthesis, poignant personal account, narrative vignettes, quotes from memoirs, and anecdotes to engage the reader not only intellectually but also—in accordance with the topic—emotionally as well.