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Culture and Language

Culture and Language. Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos 1 June 2009. Linguistic Relativity. Linguistic Relativity: To what extent does speaking a specific language influence one’s thinking? Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis: Language does not simply communicate ideas but also shapes thought

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Culture and Language

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  1. Culture and Language Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos 1 June 2009

  2. Linguistic Relativity • Linguistic Relativity: To what extent does speaking a specific language influence one’s thinking? • Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis: Language does not simply communicate ideas but also shapes thought • Language determines cognition • Whorf compared European languages to Native American languages • Found many commonalities in the structure of European languages • Many differences between European and Native American languages • Hopi’s do not have a strong emphasis on time, and have no words in their language to refer to time Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos

  3. Linguistic Differences • Words within a language for certain categories of objects makes it easier to discriminate those objects in the environment • Inuits (close to the North Pole) have many words for snow • Aztecs (close to the equator) have one word for snow, cold, and ice Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos

  4. Linguistic Relativity and Memory • Asian languages and English differ in their structure of numbers • Asian: ten one • European: eleven • Asian children perform better in mathematics than American children • Asian children can remember a larger number of digits than American children • Length of time to pronounce number words Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos

  5. Language and Space • Ideas about space and spatial orientation differ between Western and non-Western societies • Linguistic Relativity Hypothesis: The differences in perception of space are due to the differences in language used to describe space • English: Location of objects is described based on personal orientation (description of orientation changes when a person moves) • Other Languages: Description of orientation of objects based on absolute orientation Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos

  6. Language and Space • English speaking participants tend to choose the card in the same position from their orientation • Other language participants with a geocentric orientation tended to choose the cards with the same compass direction (Levinson, 1998) Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos

  7. Linguistic Relativity • Research has not found substantial contributions of language to differences in thinking • Instead, specific differences in language influences specific differences in interpreting the environment • Speakers are guided by specific aspects of their language to pay attention to specific aspects of their experiences • The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis describes how language influences the schema used to give meaning to an experience Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos

  8. Linguistic Universality • Research on deaf children shows that cognition can develop without language • Linguistic Universality Hypothesis: Humans have an innate tendency for language • Deaf children use language-like structures in their gestures, whereas hearing children only use a single gesture Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos

  9. Linguistic Universality • Language Acquisition Device (LAD): Innate potential for language • Properties of the LAD should be present in all languages • Constraint on word order: Sentence word order object-subject-verb does not exist in language • All languages have nouns and verbs • Not all languages have adjectives • Intonation: Higher pitch indicates emphasis, voice is lowered toward the end of a monologue • In some languages, the tone of a word changes the meaning Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos

  10. Bilingualism • Psychological issues in bilingualism: • Nature of bilingualism • Not sum of two languages, but is a unique, complex linguistic system • Assessment of bilingualism • Do not give two monolingual tests, but instead a holistic estimate of bilingual competence • Cognitive and social consequences of bilingualism • Early research showed bilingual children were retarded in cognitive development • Newer research controlled for economic status and found that bilingual children were ahead of their monolingual, same SES peers Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos

  11. Bilingualism • Bilingual children tend to have better cognitive flexibility, divergent thinking, and creativity • Bilingual children have better metalinguistic awareness • Metalinguistic Awareness: A greater sensitivity to language, the rules of language, and appropriate use of language Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos

  12. Bilingualism • Additive Bilingualism: Learning multiple languages is socially valued • A second language does not threaten the use of a first language • Subtractive Bilingualism: Learning a second language does threaten learning of the first language • Metalinguistic benefits may only result in additive bilingualist societies Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos

  13. Revision • What is the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis? What have psychologists concluded about the validity of the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis? • What is the theory of Linguistic Universality? What is support for this theory? • Compare and contrast additive and subtractive bilingualism. Dr. K. A. Korb University of Jos

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