Introduction

Abstract

Languages at War places foreign languages at the core and centre of war and conflict, arguing that 'foreignness' and foreign languages are key to our understanding of what happens on the ground of war. Using two case studies - the liberation/occupation of Western Europe (1944-47), and peacekeeping/peace building in Bosnia-Herzegovina (1995-2000) - it traces the role of languages in intelligence, pre-deployment preparations, deployment, soldier-civilian meetings, occupation and peace building. It examines the language policies which are developed in war, and the language experiences of those who are caught up in conflict. Their voices, and in particular the testimonies of the language intermediaries in war - the interpreters/translators - echo throughout these pages.