How the Languages We Speak Shape the Ways We Think

Summary

In this panel discussion on knowledge, cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky explores the influence of language on thought. She delves into how different languages, with their unique vocabularies and grammatical structures, shape our cognitive abilities. Through examples like spatial orientation in cardinal directions and the conceptualization of time, Boroditsky illustrates the profound impact language has on navigational skills, mathematical thinking, and even memory. She emphasizes the importance of linguistic diversity, suggesting that each of the world's approximately 7,000 languages provides a distinct cognitive toolkit, reflecting the human mind's ingenuity and adaptability.

Takeaways

• 🗣️ Language is a powerful tool for creating ideas in others' minds through the use of sounds and words.
• 🌐 There are approximately 7,000 languages spoken worldwide, each with unique characteristics that can influence thought processes.
• 🧭 Some languages require speakers to maintain a sense of direction, leading to enhanced navigational abilities compared to those who speak languages that use relative directions like left and right.
• 🕒 Different languages can shape the way people perceive and conceptualize time, with some using spatial metaphors that align with writing direction or cardinal directions.
• 🔢 The presence or absence of exact number words in a language can affect speakers' numerical cognition and their ability to engage in mathematical and scientific thinking.
• 🌈 Linguistic diversity is a testament to human ingenuity, with each language offering a unique perspective on the world.
• 🤔 Bilingual individuals carry knowledge systems from all languages they are proficient in, which can lead to shifts in thinking depending on the language they are using.
• 🌐 Language can influence cognitive abilities, such as memory and decision-making, and even affect how people perceive and describe objects and events.
• 🔄 The cognitive toolkit provided by a language is shaped by the ideas and tools that have been developed and refined by speakers over generations.
• 🌟 The exploration of linguistic diversity and its impact on cognition is an ongoing area of research with much still to be discovered.

Q & A

How does language influence our thoughts according to the speaker?

The speaker suggests that the language we speak shapes the way we think, as evidenced by various cognitive abilities that are influenced by language, such as spatial orientation, navigation, and the conceptualization of time.

What is the significance of the example about the ovulating zebra and the rhinoceros?

The example illustrates the power of language to create ideas in our minds through the pressure waves created by speech, highlighting the ability of language to convey complex and novel thoughts.

Why do some languages use cardinal directions instead of body-relative terms like 'left' and 'right'?

Languages that use cardinal directions like north, south, east, and west require speakers to maintain a constant awareness of their orientation, which can enhance their navigational skills.

How do speakers of languages that use cardinal directions differ from English speakers in terms of spatial orientation?

Speakers of languages that use cardinal directions tend to stay oriented and can perform navigational feats that are considered beyond the average human ability, unlike English speakers who often rely on body-relative terms.

What is the cognitive difference demonstrated when comparing the ability to point southeast in different cultures?

The cognitive difference is that young children in cultures where cardinal directions are used in everyday language can easily point southeast, while adults in cultures that do not may struggle with this task.

How does the way we talk about time vary across languages?

The way we talk about time can vary by using spatial language, such as organizing time from left to right in English, or from right to left in Hebrew and Arabic, or even orienting time from east to west in some cultures.

What is the impact of having exact number words in a language on cognitive abilities?

Having exact number words in a language can lead to better tracking of exact numbers, the development of mathematical concepts like algebra, and the ability to build complex structures, indicating a deep cognitive impact.

How does linguistic diversity reflect the human mind's ingenuity?

Linguistic diversity is a testament to the human mind's capacity to create multiple perspectives to describe the physical universe, with each language offering a unique cognitive toolkit that has been fine-tuned over generations.

What happens to a bilingual person's cognitive abilities when they switch between languages?

Bilingual individuals carry knowledge systems from all languages they are proficient in. When they switch languages, they may think more in line with the structures and concepts of the language they are currently using, but traces of other languages remain.

How does the concept of grammatical gender in language affect our thinking?

Grammatical gender can influence how we perceive objects or concepts as having masculine or feminine qualities, which can affect our memory and descriptions of events, showing how language structures can shape cognitive processes.

Why is it important to explore linguistic diversity in the context of cognitive science?

Exploring linguistic diversity is important because it helps us understand how different languages can shape thought processes, cultural practices, and cognitive abilities, contributing to a broader understanding of the human mind.

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ Language and Cognitive Abilities

The first paragraph introduces a panel discussion on knowledge, focusing on how language influences our thinking. Lera Barone, a speaker from the cognitive science department, discusses the power of language to create ideas in our minds. She highlights the diversity of languages worldwide and the age-old question of whether the language we speak shapes our thought processes. Barone references new empirical research from UCSD that suggests languages indeed impact cognitive abilities, using examples such as spatial orientation in languages that use cardinal directions instead of body-relative terms like 'left' and 'right.' She also conducts an interactive demonstration to illustrate the point, asking the audience to point southeast, showcasing the difference in cognitive abilities between cultures.

05:02

🌐 Cultural Differences in Time and Space Perception

The second paragraph delves into how different languages shape our perception of time and space. The speaker explains that languages use spatial metaphors to describe time, with English speakers organizing time from left to right, while Hebrew and Arabic speakers might perceive it from right to left. Some languages, like Aymara, even reverse the spatial metaphor, placing the past in front and the future behind. The paragraph also touches on how languages without exact number words affect cognitive abilities related to counting and mathematics. The speaker argues that each language provides a unique cognitive toolkit, with linguistic diversity being a testament to human ingenuity, creating thousands of different perspectives on the world.

10:04

🌐 Bilingualism and Cognitive Flexibility

The third paragraph addresses the question of bilingualism and its impact on cognitive abilities. It suggests that bilingual individuals retain knowledge systems from all languages they are proficient in, and that there is a cognitive shift when switching between languages. The speaker notes that while one may think more like a speaker of one language when using it, traces of other languages learned remain. The paragraph also discusses the inconsistent use of cardinal directions in English and how bilinguals might have an in-between representation when languages assign different genders to the same object.

Keywords

💡Language

Language is a system of communication used by humans, involving the use of words and sounds to convey meaning. In the video, language is central to the discussion on how it shapes our thoughts and cognitive abilities. The speaker uses the example of how different languages can influence spatial orientation, showing that language is not just a tool for communication but also a determinant of how we perceive and interact with the world.

💡Cognitive Science

Cognitive Science is an interdisciplinary field that studies the mental processes underlying behavior, including how we perceive, think, learn, and remember. The video discusses how cognitive science research, particularly at UCSD, is uncovering the ways in which language impacts our thinking, such as through spatial orientation and time perception.

💡Semiotic

Semiotic refers to the study of signs and symbols and their use or interpretation. The video touches on this concept when discussing how language, as a system of signs, influences our cognitive processes. The speaker illustrates how the structure of a language can shape the way we think about and interact with the world.

💡Slang

Slang refers to informal language characterized by the use of new words or different meanings of existing words. Although not explicitly detailed in the script, slang could be related to the broader theme of language diversity and its impact on thought. The video might imply that slang, as part of language variation, contributes to the cognitive diversity among speakers.

💡Spatial Orientation

Spatial orientation is the ability to perceive and navigate through space, understanding one's position relative to the environment. The video uses this concept to highlight how certain languages require speakers to maintain a sense of cardinal directions, which enhances their spatial navigation skills. This is exemplified by speakers of languages that use north, south, east, and west for everyday directions.

💡Cardinal Directions

Cardinal directions refer to the four principal compass points: north, south, east, and west. The video explains that some languages rely on cardinal directions rather than body-relative terms like left and right. This linguistic feature influences speakers' cognitive abilities, making them more adept at navigation and spatial tasks.

💡Navigational Feats

Navigational feats are impressive acts of wayfinding or orientation. The video suggests that speakers of languages that use cardinal directions demonstrate superior navigational abilities, challenging the notion that such skills are beyond human capability without external aids like tools or technology.

💡Grammatical Genders

Grammatical genders are categories that classify nouns in some languages as masculine, feminine, or neuter. The video discusses how these classifications can influence speakers' perceptions and thoughts about objects, attributing qualities like strength or beauty based on the grammatical gender assigned in their language.

💡Cognitive Toolkit

A cognitive toolkit, as mentioned in the video, refers to the set of mental tools and concepts that a language provides to its speakers. These tools shape how individuals think and perceive the world, with different languages offering unique cognitive frameworks. The video emphasizes the diversity of cognitive toolkits across the world's languages.

💡Linguistic Diversity

Linguistic diversity refers to the variety of languages spoken around the world. The video argues that this diversity is a testament to human ingenuity, with each language offering a distinct perspective on the world. The speaker suggests that linguistic diversity is still underexplored and holds significant potential for understanding the human mind.

Highlights

Humans can convey ideas through language by creating pressure waves in the air.

There are approximately 7,000 languages in the world, each differing in vocabulary and grammatical structures.

The long-standing question of whether the languages we speak shape our thinking has been reopened with new empirical work.

Some languages use cardinal directions instead of body-centered terms like 'left' and 'right'.

Languages that use cardinal directions require speakers to stay oriented, influencing their navigational abilities.

Speakers of languages that use cardinal directions can perform navigational feats previously thought beyond human ability.

Languages shape how we think about time, with some using spatial language and others organizing time from different directions.

The way we conceive of time can be influenced by the language we speak, with different cultural orientations.

Languages without exact number words can affect speakers' ability to keep track of exact numbers and perform algebra.

Linguistic diversity is a testament to the human mind's ingenuity, with 7,000 different perspectives on the physical universe.

Each language provides a unique cognitive toolkit, shaped by the ideas and tools of its speakers over generations.

Bilinguals possess knowledge systems from all languages they are proficient in, with some shifts when switching languages.

Bilingualism allows for the coexistence of different linguistic structures and cognitive influences in an individual's mind.

Even within English, there are inconsistencies in the use of cardinal directions for navigation.

Linguistic diversity is vastly underexplored, with much to learn about how language influences cognition and culture.

Transcripts

okay so this is the panel on knowledge

it's about everything that we all do and

of course I'm not quite sure kit what

exactly we're supposed to encompass but

we have things on semiotic slang guaa

jand computation to try it and think

about new ways of in essence thinking

creativity and imagination our first

speaker will be Lera Barone it's Kate

who's going to be speaking on how

languages we speak shape the way we

think some the cognitive science

department and we'll just get started so

I will be using only language to address

you know images and I'll be doing that

because I can we humans have the gift of

language just by making noises hisses

and pops with our mouths while exhaling

we can send pressure waves through the

air and these pressure waves then

magically create ideas in other people's

minds right so I can say something like

imagine and ovulating zebra riding on

the back of a rhinoceros while solving

differential equations and hopefully if

everything has gone well in your life so

far you've never had that thought and

now you've just had that thought for the

first time just because I made those

pressure waves travel through the air

now there's not just one language of

course in the world they're about 7,000

languages spoken around the world and

all the languages differ from one

another in a huge variety of ways some

languages aren't even spoken they're

sign languages languages different

vocabulary and the kinds of grammatical

structures they require and there's a

long-standing question and by

long-standing I mean thousands of years

do the languages we speak to shape the

way we think so Charla mama pined on

this he said to have a second languages

to have a second soul other people have

argued the opposite so for example

Shakespeare has Juliet say oh what's in

a name I rose by any other name would

smell as sweet

arguments on this back and forth for

thousands of years and there's been

almost no evidence of any sort either

way there lots and lots of strong

opinions for a few decades

in the last century this topic became

completely taboo and unsteady about in

any scientific disciplines that are

concerned with mind or language but in

the last couple of decades there's been

new work new actual empirical work

reopening this question a lot of the

work actually has been done here at UCSD

across departments so folks on

anthropology and psychology and

cognitive science coming together to

find interesting ways that language

influences thinking let me give you

there's our broad body of work here but

let me give you some of my favorite

examples I'll start with the domain of

space and navigation and this starts

with the work of John Hoagland who's

here in anthropology John noticed that

there are some languages that unlike

English which English often relies on

words like left and right so we might

say it's your left leg your right leg

move your cup to the left there's some

languages that don't use body-centered

terms like this and instead they put

everything in cardinal directions like

north south east and west so you say

things like there's an ant on your

Southwest leg or move your cup to the

north-northeast a little bit now to

speak a language like this you have to

stay oriented you have to know which

direction is which just in order to be

able to speak the language properly and

speakers of languages like this in fact

do stay oriented and they can perform

navigational feats that we used to think

we're beyond human ability so we used to

think well you know ants can dead reckon

but that's just because they have these

reflective service surfaces on their

backs that measure the incident light

from different celestial bodies and

birds can do it but they have magnets in

their beaks that's why they can do it we

are biologically incapable of doing it

but in fact it turns out humans are

perfectly biologically capable of doing

more than we thought we were there are

people in the world who can do it by

virtue of the practice that language

requires of them and just so we can

convince ourselves that we're not so

great at being oriented

I'm going to ask all of you guys to

close your eyes right now so we're going

to close your eyes and point southeast

okay you can open your eyes I see points

there there there there there I have no

idea which way it is but I think I think

we can say the accuracy was not a

hundred percent right I think that's

safe okay so that's a big difference in

cognitive ability where you have

relatively young children in one culture

that can easily point southeast and here

we have a group of distinguished

professors who can't do it right that's

a big cognitive difference another

domain where you find big differences

like this is how we think about time

so across languages we tend to use a lot

of spatial language to create time so in

English we talk about the best ahead of

us the worst behind us we also use our

writing direction to organize time so it

might be very common for an English

speaker to organize time from left to

right of course if you're a Hebrew

Arabic speaker you might think that time

goes from right to left if you don't

have left and right in your language and

you don't use those ideas in your

culture you might actually orient time

from east to west so I've done some

studies like this showing people who

orient themselves in absolute space tend

to orient time in absolute space as well

time can also reverse on the front back

axis so we think of the futures ahead of

us and the past is behind us but work by

Rafael Nunez here in cognitive science

shows the eye Amara put the past in

front of them and the future behind them

you see this pattern in the metaphors

and the language and you also see that

in the way people use their bodies the

way they gesture when they're talking

about the past in the future so those

are big differences they're also pretty

deep differences that languages create

let me give you an example some

languages don't have exact number words

some languages have only words like one

two and then few and many and some don't

even strictly have one and two

not not to surprisingly speakers of

languages like that don't keep track of

exact numbers they don't have algebra

they don't do any of the things that

would be required to build a room like

this for example and so that is a D I

say that's a deep difference because a

simple thing like having count words in

your language opens the door to a whole

lot of other transformative cognitive

abilities that can really change not

just the way you think but also your

material culture and the way you

communicate that material culture and

build on it there are lots of other

examples the way people make even simple

decisions about colors whether or not

people think bridges are masculine or

feminine whether they're strong or

beautiful depends on grammatical genders

in the language there are differences in

eye witness memory how likely are you to

remember who did what

depends on how you're likely to describe

the event these studies suggest that

each language comprises its own

cognitive toolkit a set of a set of

instructions that speakers of your

language and generations past have

created for you a set of ideas and tools

that have been honed and fine-tuned over

generations and some some of the

languages in the world may provide very

similar tool kilts others will be very

different but I think what's important

about this is that linguistic diversity

is a real testament to the ingenuity of

the human mind right that our minds have

the exquisite capacity to create not one

pass at the physical universe that we're

all trying to describe but 7,000

different passes there's not one

linguistic universe there's seven

thousand universes and we're able to

create many more we're constantly

changing our languages and fine-tuning

and honing them more now linguistic

diversity is still vastly under explored

we've only scratched the surface and I

think this is a perfect topic to bring

together perspectives from

lots of domains obviously expertise on

language on cognition that that exists

across the university and bringing more

folks together to address this issue I

think would be wonderful thank you and

so what happens if you have I mean I had

never heard this about orienting or

discussing the world in terms of

left-right four versus compass points

what happens to somebody who's bilingual

in those those two different structures

in fact there are lots of people who are

bilingual so a lot of these languages

are in Australia for example and so a

lot of the speakers of the languages

will be bilingual and Aboriginal

Australian English and in one of the

native languages and often they'll be

multilingual it's common for people to

speak lots of the local languages well

you felt so enjoy let me let me answer

your question in a much more general

sense bilinguals tend to have in their

minds all of the knowledge systems from

all of the languages in which they are

proficient right so if you've if you've

had to learn something in order to speak

a language you keep that knowledge in

mind there is some shift that happens

when you switch from one language to

another so you'll be thinking more like

a Russian speaker when you're speaking

Russian than when you're speaking

English in most cases but there are

still traces of the Russian that you've

learned or the English that you've

learned regardless of which language

you're in so you have this kind of

mediated influence does that answer your

question in the general case yeah

they're not they're not at all

inconsistent so English also has a

north-south-east-west system we just

don't use it nearly as much we don't use

it for small scales so we never use it

for our bodies or for tabletop space and

we also use it very inconsistently when

we do use it for large spaces so most of

our highways that we say run north don't

really run north

all right they might run Northwest or

sometimes South in terrible situations

but that does happen so these aren't

incompatible views in some cases there

are incompatible views liking

grammatical gender you could have

something masculine in one language

feminine and the other and in that case

what you get is some kind of in-between

representation

you