I agree with you premise about language influencing the thought process. I speak English as my primary, native language, but I have learned how to speak Spanish and French as well. I have also traveled to a few other countries a well.

I have often heard the way to learn about a culture is through its food. I agree, but feel that to truly understand a culture, one need to listen to the colloquial phrases of that culture. Something I have noticed, is that when something is significant to a group, a colloquial phrase is created to identify with. For instance, the colloquial phrase "foodie" in US culture.

Great article.