| View Thread | Return to Index | Read Prev Msg | Read Next Msg |
Introduction to Cultural Psychology Forum
Posted By: Sukdeep K Mahal In Response To: Toipc 4: Cultural Psychology (Dave Hiles)
Saphir-Whorf Hypothesis
The two linguists Edward Saphir (tutor) and Benjuamin Whorf (student, put forward a theory that language tends to determine culture. Due to their theory 'Saphir-Whorf hypothesis', their views are that people coming from different cultural backgrounds tend to perceive the world differently. Due to reasons that they follow different linguistic categories to interpret it. The majority of the linguists to agree that the language that the people aquire is highly vital, to how they perceive and organise the world in which they surround - ethnolinguistic.
Referring to Davies et al theory (1998) he quotes, " Speaker's of different languages neccessarily construe the world differently, and are locked into the world view given to them by their language ". By reading this I would lean to the perspect that a language spoken by a person tends to determine how they perceive the world.
Saphir in 1929 calimed that "Human beings do not live in the objective world alone, nor alone in the world of social activity as ordinarly understood, but are very much at the mercy of the particular language which has become the medium of expression for their society". By reading the quote I would say it would not be so easy to transalte an idea from a language to another, as out process of thought would relate differently.
The interaction amoungst language and thought has been an issue which ahs been debaited by philosophers for thousands of years. Views of psychologists tend to fall into three main categories. First category tends to see thought as a dependant upon or caused by language. Second tends to perceive language as dependant upon and reflecting on thought, and the third reflects on language and thought as two seperate activities.
The main points which concern the interaction amongst language and thoughttends to refer to theories such as 'mould and cloak'. Mould theories refers to language as a mould in the view of whichthought categories happen to be cast. Cloak theories represent language as a cloak, conforming towards the customery categories of thought of it's speakers. Language and thought believe to be identical in the view of behaviourists.
I would say that there are also other aspects which tend to affect thought. Individual people speaking the same language tend to have different thoughts and different perception towards the world. A crucial part which tendsto affect thought would be culture or subculture. Culture tends to differ in various ways, in terms of values, norms of behaviour and social structure. In return it affects the meaning which is associated with psychological tests within different cultures.
Having and speaking unique language(s) appears to be quite a substantial aspect amongst one's culture. We tend to live in a multi-cultural society, which means that a large variety of languages are spoken. Us as humans are all brought up differently, reasons for the difference can lean on aspects such as: culture; traditions; relion backgrounds; generation trends ... However, by having different languages it can be possible that people tend to perceive the world differently, as people speaking different languages inherit different cultural perceptions. For example: lets consider 'marriages', not everyone has the same arrangements, some cultures tend to have stricter arrangements. The muslim religion happen to be very strict in this area, as they have different views and wish to favour in the aspect of extended family (marrying into the family). Being a sikh myself, I can say that arranged marriage has gradually calmed down as the new generation tend to perceive more differently. In most religions looking at the world in a particular way can be highly influenced by parents and existing family - ie role models played by other. Another aspect resulting this would be the lack of communication, or barriers causing lack of communication. For example: people coming for different countries tend to have different views, one reason being due to lack of ability to speak the language. They would see the place differently due to unknown country, language, living standards etc. People coming from different countries tend to bring their culture along with them, living the way they always have done. I have relative from India who have come over to stay, and their views on the outlook of life is very different to mine and my family. There views on our living standards were known to be too modernised. Other points had be appointed resulting great difference in perceiving the world. However, me or family going to India would mean changing our living standards in order to fit in, but however I could not change my view on the world as it would remain the same due to the way I've been brought up. Another aspect could be individual's status. Everyone belongs to a certain status (ie middle class, working class etc), it could be again how one is brought up to perceive the world. For example, Someone from a upper class family (Royal family) would have a different view compared to someone from a middle class family (myself). All this tends to relate to how one is brought up to see the world, until you hit a certain age where you make your own 'individual' views.
Therefore I feel that it is not only the language but also one's culture and the way in which they have been brought up!
In this case this particular theory 'Saphir-Whorf' it appears to be a mould theory of language. Hypothesis including two priciples 'Linguistic determinism and Linguistic relativity'. Firstly, that thinking is encouraged by language (linguastic determination, and secondly, one who speak's different languages tends to perceive the world differently. One of the reasons for this claim tends to reflect on the concerns of translation amongst languages.
Saphir emphasises 'The world in which different societies live in are distinct worlds, not merely that same worlds but with different labels attached' (1958-Saphir). What he is trying to reach out is that the physical words/phrases may be translated from one language to another but the meaning is changed due to concept that the meaning does not come from the text. But however, it is made up of interpretation which tends to vary amongst different cultures, making transalation impossible to relate to. A fine example would be literature (ie poem), meaning of words appear to be crucial, but once transalated it wold cause confusion as the connotation within the two languages appear to be different. So it would be difficult to understand the meaning of another language once the language is translated. Language tends to influence people's view as well as guide them the way in which individual think.
Many linguists comment that Saphir-Whorf hypothesis being in it's strong form, however, then find the moderate and understanding view. Both forms - strong and moderate - tend to differ in different ways. Firstly, it is only potential in thinking to be influencedinstead of being determined by language. And secondly, the approach is a two way process referring to the kind of language we speak are strictly influenced in the way we perceive the world.
Living in a multicultural society we are smothered by a variety of languages, with words for certain things that other languages donot have. The neuer of sudan tend to have over 300 words in order to describe an animal. Each individual phrase tends to indicate difference in size, shape etc. As we do not have words with the sme meaning it does not mean that we are not able to comprehend what that word is. Languages can be adjusted as well as adaptable. So by discovering something new we are then able to provide it with a new name and chateristic.
Reference:
* Gill.J (1997) Language and Reality, One more time. Philosophy.
* Psy. The Science of Mind and Behaviour, Richard. D. Gross (1992)
* The Saphir-Whorf Hypothesis. D. Chandler http://www.aber.ac.uk/~dgc/worf.html.
Date: Thursday, 11 May 2000, at 3:05 p.m.
| View Thread | Return to Index | Read Prev Msg | Read Next Msg |
Introduction to Cultural Psychology Forum is maintained by Dave Hiles with WebBBS 4.12.