How language relates to thought?

Anggi Paola Giraldo Chavarro I.D. 1.117.529.178

Psycholinguistics Intermediate English II Amazonia University Florencia Caquet October 06, 2013

How language relates to thought?

Many years ago the relation between language and thought has been into question, a variety of different authors, theories pretend influences between language and thought. The connection between language and thought is always going to be discussed. Most people think that the language affects how one thinks and the interaction with the world, I think that our thought simply determine what we say, the language we speak is what really defines the thoughts we can have. According to Benjamin Whorf language offers the concepts and mechanisms for representing and making sense of our experience, in this way radically shaping the way we think. The language use governs our life, we express our ideas to others persons with language, we listen and read their reactions and understand their meanings with language, and very often, we speak internally to ourselves when we process this information and make logical conclusions. It seems that rational thinking unavoidably involves certain degree of the use of language. This connection seems so tight that, some linguists like Whorf had to propose that thought is indeed utterly determined by language. This argument in fact denotes that thought is impossible without language. Language is a carrier of thought, just like water is to water waves. Without water acting as a medium, water waves cannot possibly exist. The possibility of thought without language does not only appear in these immature or non-human subjects. Even as adults with full language ability, we occasionally find ourselves better thinking in terms of imagery representations. Especially in the fields of mathematics and physics, where abstract concepts are sometimes hard to describe in words, schematic graphs are often employed to simplify the problems. Language is the major tool of acquiring knowledge. It is the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way. Thoughts, on the other hand, are forms conceived in the mind, rather than the forms perceived through the five senses. Thoughts are the processes by which these concepts are perceived and manipulated. as a conclusion I think that all our thoughts are in our native language, hence, we cant understand things we dont have words for, as we physically cant think of concepts we

dont have words for. Once language is learned, it becomes a filter through which our ability to think and express ourselves must pass. I wonder me Does Language control thought? and my answer is yes, is my subjective answer. Finally Language and thought is important because it helps in communication. It also builds our socio-economic interest and enhances our cultural value system. Another importance of language is that it makes friendships and cultural ties grow stronger while also shaping our thoughts and emotions.