Language and Language and Linguistic Relativity: The Linguistic Relativity: The

Power of WordsPower of Words

Language and Language and Linguistic Relativity: The Linguistic Relativity: The

Power of WordsPower of Words

C. D. SchallhornC. D. Schallhorn

LanguageLanguage

• “The limits of your language mean the limits of your world.”

– Ludwig Wittgenstein

• “The limits of your language mean the limits of your world.”

– Ludwig Wittgenstein

How Do Language and Thinking Interact?How Do Language and Thinking Interact?

• Grammar

• Vocabulary

• Oxymorons

• Euphemisms

• Language as a Cognitive Map

• Grammar

• Vocabulary

• Oxymorons

• Euphemisms

• Language as a Cognitive Map

GrammarGrammar

• Romance Languages Formal/Informal (tu/usted) (tu/vous) Masculine and Feminine Forms of

Nouns In French, “victim” is feminine Professions are masculine

• Romance Languages Formal/Informal (tu/usted) (tu/vous) Masculine and Feminine Forms of

Nouns In French, “victim” is feminine Professions are masculine

More GrammarMore Grammar• Spanish

– Single is “el” and “la”

– Plural is “los” regardless of male-female ratio • e.g. one male and 1000 females=“los”• Same with French

• Spanish– Single is “el” and “la”

– Plural is “los” regardless of male-female ratio • e.g. one male and 1000 females=“los”• Same with French

VocabularyVocabulary

• The Inuit (aka Eskimos)– 20+ words for snow

• Fiji Islanders– No words for snow

– Many words for coconuts

• The Inuit (aka Eskimos)– 20+ words for snow

• Fiji Islanders– No words for snow

– Many words for coconuts

More VocabularyMore Vocabulary

• Arabic (not using adjectives, but different words)

– 700 words to describe camels—height, weight, age, color, smell, etc.

– Side note—in German, but not English schadenfreude

• Arabic (not using adjectives, but different words)

– 700 words to describe camels—height, weight, age, color, smell, etc.

– Side note—in German, but not English schadenfreude

More VocabularyMore Vocabulary• Hawaiians

– 25-30 different words for tides and waves– Surfers-glassy, macking, etc.

• Wauroni (S. American tribal people)– No word for “work”

• New Guinea tribal groups– No words for “war”

• Hawaiians– 25-30 different words for tides and waves– Surfers-glassy, macking, etc.

• Wauroni (S. American tribal people)– No word for “work”

• New Guinea tribal groups– No words for “war”

More VocabularyMore Vocabulary

• Hopi Indians– A single noun to refer to all flying

things and beings (except for birds)– Insects=planes=aviators=superman

(übermeisch-in German)

• Hopi Indians– A single noun to refer to all flying

things and beings (except for birds)– Insects=planes=aviators=superman

(übermeisch-in German)

More VocabularyMore Vocabulary

• Americans and their love of cars– Types of non-commercial

vehicles/transportation– e.g. sedan, convertible, 4WD, hatchback,

notchback, truck, pickup truck, SUV, mini-SUV, mini-van, Hummer, single and double-cab pickup, etc.

• Americans and their love of cars– Types of non-commercial

vehicles/transportation– e.g. sedan, convertible, 4WD, hatchback,

notchback, truck, pickup truck, SUV, mini-SUV, mini-van, Hummer, single and double-cab pickup, etc.

More VocabularyMore Vocabulary

• Epithets—slang terms for people/groups we do not like

– Notice trends with this—we tend to associate them with other things we do not like.• e.g. epithets for males are female-based, e.g.

”gurly-man”

• Epithets—slang terms for people/groups we do not like

– Notice trends with this—we tend to associate them with other things we do not like.• e.g. epithets for males are female-based, e.g.

”gurly-man”

PunsPuns

• Click here• Click here

OxymoronsOxymorons

• Click Here• Click Here

Euphemistic LanguageEuphemistic Language

• Words that disguise the truth

• Attempt to alter reality by changing/cleansing the language.

• Associated with lies and deceit.

• It takes the life out of life.

• Words that disguise the truth

• Attempt to alter reality by changing/cleansing the language.

• Associated with lies and deceit.

• It takes the life out of life.

Euphemism ExampleEuphemism Example

• WWI—when a soldier’s body could no longer take the stresses of war and it shut down, it was called

“SHELL SHOCK”

• WWI—when a soldier’s body could no longer take the stresses of war and it shut down, it was called

“SHELL SHOCK”

• In WWII, it was renamed to:

“BATTLE FATIGUE”

• In the Korean War, they called it:

“OPERATIONAL EXHAUSTION”

• In WWII, it was renamed to:

“BATTLE FATIGUE”

• In the Korean War, they called it:

“OPERATIONAL EXHAUSTION”

• By the end of the Vietnam war, it had been changed to:

“POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER”

• By the end of the Vietnam war, it had been changed to:

“POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER”

Examples of double-speakExamples of double-speak

• Blind = “visually impaired”

• Deaf = “hearing impaired”

• CIA kills off a group of people = “depopulate an area”

• A parachute = “vertical decelerator”

• Blind = “visually impaired”

• Deaf = “hearing impaired”

• CIA kills off a group of people = “depopulate an area”

• A parachute = “vertical decelerator”

More examplesMore examples

• Bombing = “air support”

• A pet = “animal companion” or “household non-human animal”

• Unemployed = “non-waged”

• Messy = “organizationally impaired”

• Bombing = “air support”

• A pet = “animal companion” or “household non-human animal”

• Unemployed = “non-waged”

• Messy = “organizationally impaired”

More examplesMore examples

• Energetic disassembly = an explosion at a nuclear power plant

• Used car = “previously owned vehicle”

• “A television with non-multicolor capability” = a black/white television

• Energetic disassembly = an explosion at a nuclear power plant

• Used car = “previously owned vehicle”

• “A television with non-multicolor capability” = a black/white television

• Suffice to say that there are many more examples of this disturbing trend.

• Suffice to say that there are many more examples of this disturbing trend.

PeriphrasticsPeriphrastics

The EndThe End