Linguistic Relativism1. Magic & Power of Words‘Thinking for Speaking’Linguistic RelativismMore affected by our language and perceptionANTY 101D 1st EditionLecture 7Linguistic RelativismNot Linguistic Determinism 1. Magic & Power of Words-Chevy Nova-Lahu of Thailand: names and destinies • The correct name will give the child their correct destiny• premature child named strong one grows up to be healthy and strong.-Relationship between name and destiny?-Ossie Davis: ‘The English Language is my Enemy’• Blackness: negative connotation with synonyms• Whiteness: Positive connotation with synonyms.• Not a conscious decision but its there-Taboos & Euphemisms• Words in a language that are objectionable or too sacred to say • ‘Going to the bathroom” really means taking a piss• Americans curse words revolve around bodily functions -Space/Time Orientation• Hopi-2 Verb tenses; that things that have already come to be and things that are going to come to be• English, Hebrew & Australian Aborigines -English chronological order left to right-Hebrew chronological order right to left-Australian Aborigines don’t have words left and right; using cardinal directions • Chronological order East to West • Nuer-Chronological order up and down because thats how they read-Sense of Smell• Rate smell more favorable based on a favorable name even if its the same smell ‘Thinking for Speaking’These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.-Obligatory aspects of grammar• Languages differ in what you MUST say -Verb tenses• Russian & Turkish -More information found in simple english sentences • Matses of Peru (evidentiality) -Last time I checked, I had two wives. (in English) • Considered lying if he said HAVE because he cannot see them currently -verb tenses that represent this sentence in other languages -Gender classification of nouns • Bridges and Keys in German and Spanish -Bridges are feminines and Keys are masculine in German but opposite in Spanish • leads those speakers to describe the same object with either more feminine or masculine objects• Maybe they experience the same object differently due to the way they describe it-Cultural and Linguistic metaphors• Time as quantifiable, valuable units -Buy time, save time, time flies, you can put a price on time• Time isn't real… its an abstract thing that we all agree with Linguistic Relativism -Language ‘obliges’ us to think in certain ways about things-‘habits of mind’-are there real life consequences?• Evidence?-Beliefs, values, ideologies, politics, misunderstandings • Abstract things that we fight wars about More affected by our language and
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