Emotion across the LSP curriculum: A modest proposal

In November 2024, Apple released a Writing Tools suite that came equipped with the first set of Apple Intelligence features.Notably, this new suite gave users the option to change the tone of their text to ensure that messages are communicated in a friendly, professional, and concise manner.To emphasize these new features, Apple correspondingly launched a humorous ad demonstrating how AI saved a man from embarrassment.Titled "Change Your Tone", the ad featured a man who was frustrated because someone had apparently stolen his pudding from the office pantry.Upon returning to his desk, he starts an email addressed to the "inconsiderate monster" who took it.But in the middle of his rant, he is inspired by a "Find your kindness" message on a teddy bear on his desk.With the assistance of the Apple Intelligence Writing Tool, he then revises his email to a friendlier tone.Shortly afterwards, a co-worker returns the pudding, complimenting his "beautiful words", and he finally gets to enjoy his snack.I relate this anecdote for several reasons.First, given the office context, the email communication in the ad reminds us of the ongoing need to develop specialized skills with the right affective cadence in our writing.Equally important to note is how this message was communicated through a video commercial, thereby highlighting the multimodal nature of advertising.But also embedded somewhat tacitly in this commercial is the neoliberallyoriented message that Apple Intelligence can make you a better employee.In my own work on linguistic entrepreneurship (De Costa, Park & Wee, 2016, 2019, 2021) along with my colleagues Joseph Park and Lionel Wee, I have noted that language learners feel a moral obligation to learn additional languages in order to live up to societal expectations; they feel compelled to add more languages to their communicative repertoire in order to stay economically competitive.And while the point about neoliberal demands being placed upon individuals will be revisited later in this article, I want to reinforce my primary message: emotions matter; and for that very reason, I