word

Linguistic Relativity

ling-GWIS-tik rel-uh-TIV-ih-tee

/lɪŋˈɡwɪstɪk ˌrɛləˈtɪvɪtiː/

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Syllable breakdown

linguisticrelativity

Dictionary meaning

The hypothesis, also known as the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, that the language a person speaks influences or shapes their thoughts, perceptions, and worldview; the stronger version (linguistic determinism) claims language determines thought, while the weaker version holds that language merely influences it.

Examples

Research on linguistic relativity has shown that speakers of languages with many colour terms perceive colour distinctions more readily.
The debate over linguistic relativity continues in cognitive science: does the Hopi word for 'time' shape how Hopi speakers experience time?

Synonyms: Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, Whorfianism, linguistic determinism

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