Language Affects the Way we Think!!!
Does our language affect the way we think?
Some say it does.
image: alltop.com
Languages are fascinating. When we speak a language different from our own, we all struggle sometimes to find the exact words for what we want to say. Sometimes the word we are looking for just doesn't exist and we then need to describe what we want to say.
Some languages have beautiful words for one particular thing, which sometimes precisely describes what you want to say, sometimes even the sound of the word seems to match it.
There are examples of languages that have no words for left or right, instead they use East, West, North and South, for example like the Sambali language in the Philippines. Language systems that use the words 'left' and 'right' are called egocentric system of coordinates, clearly as these are directions from your specific point of view; the other system is called the geographical system. Other languages do not distinguish colours, count numbers, or have a different structure. In spanish for example, if it is an accident you say "the glass broke itself", while in English you would say "i broke the glass".
How does this now affect the way you think or view the world?
In the last example of the broken glass, in the English language, you would remember the person who had the accident, in Spanish this is less likely the case. So this means it would affect your memory of what happened. Also in the English language, time is always closely related to money in using metaphors; in this sense it would affect your concept of time as being precious, in some other languages this is not the case. If you grow up with a language that defines male and female things, this would affect your thinking.
A language where you talk about "north-west" instead of "left-right" doesn't put yourself in the centre of the world. Instead, it would give you a certain 'internal' compass from a very early age, and this will certainly improve your spatial awareness and navigation skills.
It's a fascinating subject, and there is a lot more to write about it......!
(more to come....)
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Just wanted to let you know that @imagendevoz featured you in their entry post for the Pay It Forward Curation Contest
Thank you for the heads up!
Just passing through with some pay it forward love because you were featured by @imagendevoz
I read somewhere that some cultures have no word for the color blue. That really made me think. Certainly blue will still exist yet in the minds of those people it would probably exist as a shade of green.
As a child it took some effort for me to learn right and left. It sure would have been a nice shortcut to learn the directions simultaneously.
Hi @headchange, yes indeed, colour perception is another very interesting theme in relation to language. Have a look at this extremely interesting article: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180419-the-words-that-change-the-colours-we-see, fascinating stuff....!
That article pretty much proves the point that larger vocabulary translates into richer life experience.
Being an artsy type I love to work with color. Interaction with a culture who only acknowledges dark and light would be leaving out a large portion of my life experience.
This makes me wonder what levels of perception may lye hidden in the cultures I have yet to become familiar with.
Your post has really made me think.
Nice nice, i think that's what this is all about.... happy to have contributed to a thinking process....
Hahahaha.. @headchange : I just remember that we have no word for blue in my mother languages, Aceh. We will claim blue as green (ijo)... Thanks God that I have learnt another language before Acehnese.
@imagendevoz featured you in the Payitforward curation contest . that's what brought me to your post .
Entry post
Hi @Wolfart Welcome and thanks for 'sailing' by.....
@ultrabiker well said :)
This post was shared in the Curation Collective Discord community for curators, and upvoted and resteemed by the @c-squared community account after manual review.
This is indeed a very fascinating and interesting subject. I might start using 'north-west'instead of left and right. Maybe I don't do the mistake than anymore to confuse left and right ;))). Thank you for this articel.
I found you through the Pay it forward contest where you are featured by @imagendevoz
Dank je!
As long as I remember, I don't know which was taught first, maybe the left-right. Everybody will give anything to eat with and to the right hand, sometimes they will say the right hand as "good hand" to children. Funny that one of my niece still didn't know what is "right" because she only knew "good"😃
Your post is really interesting, I found yours from @imagendevoz post in Pay It Forward contest. Forgive me if my words confusing you.
Best regards from Tangsel, Indonesia
Terima kasih, @cicisaja, nice to meet you, here is a wave of my 'good hand' 👋 as a hello!
Hahahaha 🤝 let's us "Salaman"
What an interesting post! I taught high school English for years, so this kind of thing is right up my alley :) I especially love your take on "left" and "right" being an egocentric system of coordinates...so true!
I found your post because @imagendevoz featured you in our Pay it Forward Curation Contest for which I am a judge. You should consider joining us too :)
Hi @lynncoyle, thank you, I will definitely join, I'll check it out!
That's awesome @ultrabiker 😅
Sneaky Ninja Attack! You have just been defended with a 2.18% upvote!
I was summoned by @ultrabiker. I have done their bidding and now I will vanish...
woosh
A portion of the proceeds from your bid was used in support of youarehope and tarc.
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