emotionality
C1Formal, Academic, Psychological
Definition
Meaning
The quality or state of being emotional; the tendency to express feelings readily and openly.
In psychology, the degree to which an individual experiences and expresses emotions, often linked to personality traits. In critical analysis, the emotional effect or character of a work of art, text, or performance.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun describing a characteristic or trait. Can be neutral, positive (sensitivity, passion), or slightly negative (volatility, lack of control) depending on context.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant meaning difference. Slightly more frequent in American academic/psychological writing.
Connotations
In both varieties, can imply depth of feeling or, in certain contexts (e.g., management), a potential lack of rationality.
Frequency
Low-frequency word in everyday speech; common in specialised fields like psychology, literary criticism, and neuroscience.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[verb] + emotionality (e.g., display, exhibit, control, analyse, reduce)emotionality + [preposition] + [noun] (e.g., emotionality of the performance, emotionality in his voice)adjective + emotionality (e.g., heightened, excessive, genuine, negative)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Wear one's heart on one's sleeve (related concept for overt emotionality)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Generally negative; 'We need to separate the emotionality from the financial data in this review.'
Academic
Neutral/descriptive; 'The study measured the emotionality of infants in response to auditory stimuli.'
Everyday
Rare; might be used to describe art or a person's nature; 'The emotionality of her singing was breathtaking.'
Technical
Precise descriptor in psychology/neuroscience; 'The amygdala is heavily involved in processing emotionality.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The film's emotionality made many people cry.
- He is known for his emotionality on the football pitch.
- Critics praised the actor for the raw emotionality of his performance.
- Her poetry is marked by a profound emotionality and vivid imagery.
- The research paper examines the correlation between musical training and the perceived emotionality of speech prosody.
- Postmodern literature often rejects the heightened emotionality characteristic of Romantic works.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'EMOTION' + 'ALITY' (like 'quality') = the quality of having emotion.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTIONALITY IS A FLUID (It wells up, overflows, is contained, or leaks out). EMOTIONALITY IS HEAT (It cools down, flares up, is simmering).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not directly translate as "эмоциональность" in all contexts. While a close cognate, in English 'emotionality' is more formal and less common in casual speech than "эмоциональность" is in Russian. 'Emotional nature' or 'being emotional' might be more natural in everyday English.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a direct synonym for 'emotion' (e.g., 'I felt a strong emotionality' - incorrect. Use 'emotion').
- Pronouncing it as /iːˈməʊ.ʃənælɪti/ (wrong stress on first syllable).
- Overusing in general contexts where a simpler word ('feeling', 'passion') would suffice.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'emotionality' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a formal, mid-to-low frequency word used primarily in academic, psychological, or artistic analysis. In everyday conversation, people are more likely to say 'he's very emotional' or 'it was very emotional'.
'Emotion' is a countable noun referring to a specific feeling (e.g., joy, sadness). 'Emotionality' is an uncountable noun referring to the general characteristic or tendency of being emotional.
Yes, in contexts valuing expression, such as art or therapy, it can be positive (e.g., 'the genuine emotionality of her singing'). In contexts valuing detachment, like logic or business, it can carry a negative connotation.
Depending on the context: 'being emotional', 'emotional nature', 'expressiveness', or 'passion'.