Week 4 [16.04-22.04.2018] How language shapes the way we think
Today I want to share with you this really interesting speech made by the Lera Boroditsky who is a cognitive scientist and professor known for her research in the fields of language and cognition. She shared with us interesting opinions about how our language has influance for our nature and abilities.I have to admit that my first impression about this topic was feel that her opinions are a bit far-fetched but when I finished watching this speech I realized that her statements can have a sense.
She pointed example of Aboriginal community in Australia that uses that uses cardinal directions istead of left and right as we do. Because of this language difference they can easilly point their position any time which probalby will be a problem for most of us without using the GPS.
The next example was fact that in our languages we have words which describes numbers which let us count objects and "opens up the whole world of mathematics".
What most surprised for me was example of difference between an english and a spanish. When someone did something by an accident the english speaking people point who did this but a people who speak spanish highlight that it was happened by an accident.
I don't want to describe all of examples from their speach so I invite all of us to watch this video and I kindly ask you to answer the following questions.
1. Do you agree with the Charlemange, Holy Roman emperor's statement that "To have a second language is to have a second soul"?
2. Do you think that you behave a bit different when you speak in foreign language?
3. What do you think about this speech? Do you agree with Boroditsky's statements or do you think that language doesn't shape our mind at all?
Thank you for your attention. I hope that this article was not waste of your time and that you found something interesting in it. :)
Comments
There was a movie, released recently about 2 years ago, called 'Arrival'. The finale refers to the idea that language can not only change the way you think but also can be used as a tool or give abilities you were not aware of before. I don't want to reveal more, so you can watch it but anyway, after watching that movie I was quite fascinated about the topic so I did some research about how the languages affect our thinking.
I think your personality becomes richer with every language learned and understood. I think one could benefit, to some extent of course, from learning an appropriate language, which corresponds to one's talents and abilities.
I don't entirely agree that a new language will feel like having a different soul but I agree that it affects the behaviour and it sometimes feels like you have a spare personality to use.
I'm also curious if we could create new languages with certain purposes.
And I agree that knowing more than one language definitely change the way you perceive the world, especially if those languages are drastically different in comparison. Who knows what inner potential you can open in your mind by speaking multiple languages.
These statements are true even if we are talking about programming languages. Even though many modern programming languages are pretty much the same both syntactically and ideologically, some early pioneering languages differed in their approach to describe a solution to some particular problem.
Overall, interesting speech and interesting topic to choose.
2. A bit I guess. What she said was convincing. Also, even though we are our own individuals we are definitely affected by the culture which language is part of. What can also be taken away from her presentation is that impact of the one language may remain even if we speak in another.
3. It was interesting. I’ve never really thought about this. She may be overemphasized impact of the language on our minds but there is some truth to that for sure.
I think it's true that using different languages changes - if not the way I behave as well - the way I think and express ideas. This is probably because when I was learning my native tongue as a small baby, I learned phrases to express myself all by myself and from my parents, and when I was learning English, I was doing it thorough textbooks and movies so probably when I speak I copy some patterns that I read and heard.
I agree with the speaker, mostly because most of our thoughts are verbalized so our abstract thinking is directly related to the langage we're using.
2. I don’t think I behave differently while speaking another language. Sometimes there are some cultural constraints which prevent me from addressing words as I would like in my native language, but it doesn’t mean I am a different person by that.
3. I think that languages shape our minds by sharpening it, making us more intelligent and flexible. I also disagree with statement that each language has a specific, unique influence on our thinking.
That is why learning new languages broadens your views not only in terms of getting to know customs from another culture, but also because every language has a few (or a lot) words that exist only in that language - and we may learn a lot from them.
As for our movements and the behavioral part, I agree with this. In my opinion every language is a melody that has its own dance movements, and in any language should you speak, this language requires specific nonverbal movements, special gesticulation, and even relevant mimic. It's hard to imagine an Italian who speaks German and uses gesticulation characteristic of Italians.
I agree with the Boroditsky's statements, because I think language is a great influence on our mentality outlook and behaviour. The language is a living organism and it has not been created by accident, and a single word has not been created by accident as well. All words in all languages are in something, which may result in some inclinations towards us.
2. I think yes because when I use foreign languages, it's usually when I'm at work or talking to stranger. Then I don't know why I'm serious, where I'm usually relaxed :P
3. The speech was unique. I have never heard of such thoughts, which are true. That is why it was worth listening to
You may feel relaxed because words in a second language don't have the emotional connotations that you've attached to them in your first language. This "emotional detachment" may cause you to feel more relaxed and more extroverted.
However, if we accept the "nice effects" of language on behavior (often stereotypes about being more or less serious, romantic, rational, etc) we should also accept that language can cause other "less nice" effects like making us more or less racist, homophobic .
Besides, most people who claim to experience changes in their identity or behavior usually say that in relation to a language they learned as adults, not in relation to their first language.
I think that speaking a foreign language always changes our behavior to some extent, we think and act a bit differently trying to get on with people we are communicating with.
Presenter gave some very interesting points on how we are using language and how it influences our thinking and behaviour. She gave a good example with broken vase, which showed how event perception differs depending on the language we are speaking. This and other given examples proved that her statements seems to be true.
Hard to say. I think it behaves the same. Speaking in another language does not change my behavior, at least I think so. I didn't have much opportunity to convince myself of it, but I think it will come soon.
Interesting speech. It was nice to hear thoughts about languages. I like this speech. It showed me an interesting look at the perception of languages.
2. As well I would say yes, as i mentioned before I could sense difference beetween speaking foreing language. Especially in programming, almost always its easier to read and go through documentation in english than in polish.
3.I think knowing 2 or more languages somehow shapes our way of thinking but I wouldn't say that changes our mentality completely.
It depends on how we understand "to have a second language", but basically I do agree with Charlemange. Languages are our passports for new experiences we may gain in our lifetime.
2. Do you think that you behave a bit different when you speak in foreign language?
Yes it is quite common to change our voice level, accent and even gestures in context of explaining the same thing in different languages. We may even feel different because each of us associate foreign words separately, so your imaginations about one word in your native language are different than about same word in foreign one, aren't they?
3. What do you think about this speech? Do you agree with Boroditsky's statements or do you think that language doesn't shape our mind at all?
I definitely agree with Mrs. Boroditsky. Her arguments were very strong and I feel more than convinced, specially about the part of how our perception of the same situation differ among nations and their shapes of mind.
It depends - I know English for a long time (first English lessons I got before going to primary school) and I'm the guy, that has small switch in head when talking in this language. And I can't switch back to Polish and go back to English when speaking for a long time in foreign language.
Language always shape peoples minds, because there must me a language we are thinking in. And because of that we are viewing world differently, all our experience is defined by the language we are using each day.
In general yes, I agree. Maybe the literally not make a lot of sense but the context and meaning have the thing in my opinion.
Do you think that you behave a bit different when you speak in foreign language?
Yes, I heard once about that. If we speak in different language we could make different decisions. It is caused by that we use other parts of brain when we speak in foreign language.
What do you think about this speech? Do you agree with Boroditsky's statements or do you think that language doesn't shape our mind at all?
I think this speech was very good and raise important issue. I personally agree with speaker after provided examples.
I think that I do behave in a bit different way while speaking (or trying to speak) other languages. I sometimes happen to describe the same thing in a really different way in different languages. Just like in the languages comparison brought up in the video.
I think that this presentation was conducted in a really interesting way and even though it wasn't short for such a topic, it stayed relatively interesting to the end of it. I agree with the influence that languages have in terms of our terms of thinking.
I have family in USA and I see those differencies each time we speak to each other.
That speach was very interesting and it shows an unique point of view at very complex topic.
It all comes with shaping our mind, it's all connected. I can say on my example, I'm little bit difrent person when I'm speaking english, everything is more smooth, cause I've watched a lot of english speakers and learn from them.
I can't say that a human changes a lot in its behavior, probably sometimes in happens because of luck of knowing-words and we replace it the phrase from some movie or etc.
It was an interesting info for me , I think I answered this question before. I prefer this vision of knowing-languages more.
Yes, i'm agree with tis statement. But i think that is connected with limits that put foreign languages to us. We always have to first think about what we want to convey and then put it in words that best reflect what we want to convey. It's little limit for us.
I know that i behave different using foregin language. I don't feel so good as when i speak fluently my native language so i behave more uptight and i need to devote more attention to the interlocutor.
At the end i totally agree with this statement that language shape our mind. Languages are connected with nationality and i think that people from various nationality are thinking in another way.
2.Yes i do, i believe everybody does. Different languages free our mind from our local conventions. Its like being away from home, family people we know to strangers we can be anyone and i think the same applies with languages.
3. i disagree the way we speak, way we call things we interact with world surrounding us has huge impact of how we think. Language is a way to describe things if that way changes our thinking changes too.
I think that I can change my behavior a little bit. It's everything because I'm scary of that I can choose bad word or something like that. I have to think about that and I'm probably shy - maybe if I would talk more in foreign language I will be more confident in these situations.
I think that I have answered last question in the first paragraph of my post :)
Thanks for your article!
Yes, I agree that the way I behave is a bit different in different languages. Everything depends on vocabulary we know etc.
To sum up, most of us agreed that we behave a bit differently every time when we speak in another language. I think that it is something true in Jakub Syta's statement that other people who speak in some language have an influance for us during our learning process. They share their culture when we interact with them which also can change our behaviour because we try to blend in some social group.
I think that I sometimes behave a bit different when I speak in foreign language especially I am not that confident when I can't express my thoughts as well as in my native language.
I am somewhere between and I think that this is very difficult subject to discuss without knowing at least two languages at perfect level.
Speaking in a foreign language is a different history. It's mostly based on how well you know the language and how you feel using it. I think if you managed to touch confident in the foreign language you behave the same.
I think language shapes our minds, because of the different structure of any language we have to make sam changes in our minds to use it - what comes with it we change ourselves.