How does language shape the way we think?

The language we speak influences many different things. It can impact the way that we think about time, space, and even colors! People who speak different languages focus on different things, depending on the words or sentence structure available to them. It influences our thought process and our feelings.

Does Your Language Shape How You Think summary?

According to Guy Deutscher, researcher at the School of Languages, Linguistics and Cultures at the University of Manchester, on an article for the New York Times, a language does not forbid its speakers to think anything, unlike what Whorf initially suggested, but it does shape the way we see the world.

Does language shape the way we think TED talk?

There are about 7,000 languages spoken around the world — and they all have different sounds, vocabularies and structures. But do they shape the way we think? Lera Boroditsky shares examples of language that suggest the answer is a resounding yes.

How does language influence our world?

People from different cultures and languages view the world differently and organize their reality differently. The way that they think is influenced by the grammar and vocabulary of their language. People organize space and time based on the language that they use.

Does the language I speak influence the way I think?

Languages do not limit our ability to perceive the world or to think about the world, but they focus our perception, attention, and thought on specific aspects of the world. So, different languages focus the attention of their speakers on different aspects of the environment—either physical or cultural.

How does language affect the economy?

Economic studies have shown that fluency in a dominant language is important to economic success and increases economic efficiency. However, maintaining linguistic diversity also has value since language is also an expression of people’s culture.

Why do values affect language learning?

Language reflects the values and beliefs of a culture The differences between two cultures are reflected perfectly in their languages. Mastering the nuances of a language means really being able to understand people who (more than likely) grew up with an entirely different set of values and beliefs.

What role does language play in everyday life?

Language Is Expressive We also use verbal communication to describe things, people, and ideas. Verbal communication helps us inform, persuade, and entertain others, which as we will learn later are the three general purposes of public speaking.