Language and Thought

Does language simply reflect thought or does it actively shape and condition the thoughts and worldview of the speakers who use it?

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

• Linguistic determinism (strong): Language determines thought
• Linguistic relativism (mild): Language shapes habitual thought

Pirahã (Brazil)

• Lack complex number terms (“1-2-many”)
• Has capacity of analog estimation but has difficulty with math involving numbers higher than 3

Sally-Anne Experiment

• a test to measure a person's social cognitive ability to attribute false beliefs to others (also known as theory of mind)
• Hearing kids and deaf kids of deaf parents answer correctly
• Deaf kids of hearing parents answer incorrectly

Differences in Color Terms

• English has two separate words for red and yellow
• The Zuni have one one word for the spectrum from red to yellow

Spatial Orientation

• Would ask: “Is the orientation of the sheep the same?”
• The Relative perspective: “the object is to the left/right of …”.
• The Absolute perspective is based on cardinal directions such as north, east, south, and west
• The Intrinsic perspective: “the object is at the back/front/side of …”)

Conclusion?

Metaphors We Live By

Activity: Get into groups and come up with 2 examples of metaphorical concepts in the English language

Theories and Arguments are Buildings

• Is that the foundation of your argument?
• Your theory needs more support
• Construct a solid argument
• That theory falls apart in the face of evidence
• We will establish a theoretical framework

Ideas are food

• What he said left a bad taste in my mouth
• All this paper contains are raw facts and half-baked ideas
• I cannot digest that much information
• I cannot swallow that claim
• That's food for thought
• That idea smells fishy

Love is a physical force

• There is chemistry between us
• I was magnetically drawn to her
• They gravitated toward each other
• They are attracted to each other

How do you think this affects our thoughts?