This article discusses the field of “literary multilingualism,” proposing a wider definition of the concept, which would include instances of language usually not regarded as language proper: sounds, noises, and incomprehension. By foregrounding this acoustic dimension of literary multilingualism, tacit assumptions regarding language borders are highlighted and put under critical scrutiny. The article furthermore stresses the need to take readers’ diverse linguistic backgrounds into account when studying the aesthetic effects of literary multilingualism. The theoretical argument is supported by readings of Franz Kafka’s short story “An Old Manuscript” (1919) and an excerpt from Cia Rinne’s poetry collection notes for soloists (2009).