Before we dive into some examples of linguistic relativity, let’s define the term first. Linguistic relativity is the idea that the language we speak influences how we think, perceive, and understand the world around us. It’s also known as the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis. So, this means that as a native speaker of English you think differently than a native speaker of Italian, just because you speak different languages.
So, does language shape cognition? It’s just a theory, after all, but I must say—a very good one! Not only that, but there are so many examples to support it. Let’s explore my top 10 linguistic relativity examples, along with sources and links for further study:
1.Color Perception
Different languages categorize colors differently, which can affect how speakers of those languages perceive and distinguish colors. For example, the Dani people of Papua New Guinea have only two basic color terms, mili (cool) and mola (warm), and have been found to have difficulty distinguishing between blue and green!
2.Time Perception
Mandarin and English speakers differ in their focus on either the vertical or horizontal axis when it comes to describing time. Mandarin speakers tend to use vertical spatial metaphors to talk about time, such as “up” for future and “down” for past, while English speakers use horizontal metaphors like “ahead” for future and “behind” for past.
Source: Boroditsky, L. (2001). Does language shape thought? Mandarin and English speakers’ conceptions of time. Cognitive Psychology, 43(1), 1-22.
Further Study: Does Language Shape Thought?: Mandarin and English Speakers’ Conceptions of Time – ScienceDirect
3.Spatial Orientation
Some languages, like Guugu Yimithirr spoken in Australia, use cardinal directions (north, south, east, west) instead of relative terms (left, right, front, back) to describe spatial orientation. As a result, speakers of these languages have been found to have excellent spatial orientation skills, as they need to constantly be aware of their cardinal direction.
Source: Levinson, S. C. (2003). Space in language and cognition: Explorations in cognitive diversity. Cambridge University Press.
Further Study: https://www.livescience.com/32528-do-languages-influence-thought.html
4.Number Concepts
The Piraha people of Brazil have no words for exact numbers, and instead use approximate terms like “few” or “many”. As a result, they have been found to have difficulty with tasks that require exact numerical calculations.
Source: Gordon, P., & Carey, S. (2015). The acquisition of specific number words: A cross-linguistic study. Child Development, 86(5), 1318-1337.
Further study: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/306/5695/496
5.Gender and Language
Different languages have different grammatical gender systems, which can influence how speakers perceive and treat gender in society. For example, in Spanish, nouns are assigned a grammatical gender (masculine or feminine) which can affect how people perceive and treat gender in society.
Source: Boroditsky, L. (2011). How languages shape the way we think. Scientific American, 304(2), 62-65. (pp. 63-64)
Further Study: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/space-in-language-and-cognition/3F3D63FE63E388E1CCF6C7B2C2B60977
6.Perception of Objects
The words we use to describe objects can affect how we perceive them. For example, speakers of languages that use classifiers (like Chinese or Japanese) tend to focus more on the shape and material of objects, while speakers of languages without classifiers (like English) tend to focus more on the function or use of objects.
Source: Deutscher, G. (2011). Through the language glass: Why the world looks different in other languages. Random House. (pp. 47-51)
Further Study: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/109/1096719/through-the-language-glass/9780099505570.html
7.Perception of Emotions
Some languages have more specific and nuanced terms for certain emotions, while other languages may use more general or broad terms. For example, in the Japanese language, there is a specific term for “feeling a sense of regret after a missed opportunity” called “komorebi”, whereas in English, we might use the more general term “regret” or “disappointment.” This more specific term in Japanese may lead to a different and more nuanced understanding and experience of that emotion among Japanese speakers compared to English speakers.
Source: Boroditsky, L. (2011). How languages shape thought. Scientific American, 304(2), 62-65.
Further Study: What is komorebi? (happiful.com)
8.Time References
The way different languages refer to time (e.g. using clock time versus event time) can influence how their speakers perceive and remember events. For example, in Hopi, a Native American language, time is described using events, rather than using a linear timeline like in English. As a result, Hopi speakers tend to focus more on the context and relationships between events, rather than on the exact timing of events.
Source: Boroditsky, L. (2001). Does language shape thought?: Mandarin and English speakers’ conceptions of time. Cognitive Psychology, 43(1), 1-22.
Further Study: Can language slow down time? – BBC Culture
9.Taste Perception
Languages may influence how their speakers perceive and describe tastes. For example, some languages have specific words to describe tastes like umami, which is a savory taste found in Japanese cuisine, also called ”the fifth taste” which is different from sour, sweet, salty, and bitter.
Source: Lupyan, G., & Casasanto, D. (2015). Language, perception, and the structure of concepts. In The Routledge Handbook of Embodied Cognition (pp. 3-15). Routledge.
Further Study: What is umami? (umamibook.net)
10.Memory Encoding
The way different languages encode information in memory can affect how easily it is remembered. For example, research has shown that people are better at remembering words that are congruent with their native language’s grammatical structure. For example, speakers of German might find it easier to remember the word “Haus” (meaning “house”) because it follows the grammatical structure of German, which is a highly inflected language. In German, the word “Haus” is a neuter noun and takes the article “das”, which is consistent with other neuter nouns in the language. In contrast, an English speaker might have a harder time remembering the gender and article of the word “casa” (meaning “house” in Spanish), because English is a language that doesn’t use grammatical gender and articles in the same way as Spanish.
Source: Cook, V. (2016). Second Language Learning and Language Teaching (5th ed.). Routledge.
Further Study: Does obligatory linguistic marking of source of evidence affect source memory? A Turkish/English investigation (jcu.edu.au)
Hope you enjoyed my article on examples of linguistic relativity! Read more about linguistics here, and hope to see you next time!
