Language, Culture, and Thought… by Charles TiayonQUESTION: Does language really shape the way we think? (An age-old concern… in such disciplines as language, culture, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, psychology, translation and intercultural communication, just to name those that readily come to mind)
MY ANSWER (in the simplest terms): Yes and No.
Yes. To the extent that we limit ourselves to the readily available conventional concepts or resources of the language. Indeed, mutual understanding is generally more effective when users of a language in situations of interpersonal or intercultural communication (including translation, of course) do get a maximum of these conventional concepts and resources right… Any slight shift from such conventional concepts and resources needs to be tactful, fully justifiable, and acceptable from the perspective of the target users and language-culture community.
No. If we do not view the readily available concepts of each language-culture as the only valuable and valid ones; which (i) would definitely be most limiting and (ii) would end up stifling innovation, creativity, and mutual enrichment when the need arises. One’s thought and thought process are definitely not doomed by the language-culture one belongs to. It’s ultimately a matter of/for (cultural) education; one that needs to be taken very seriously, in tune with the homo sapiens civilisation whereby fast mobility across communities has long been the norm.
A language-culture does not in any way “enslave the thoughts and thought processes” of its users. Rather, people belonging to a precise group would, as a matter of necessity, create and sustain their own language-culture system, with relevant rules and conventions that become binding to the community of users. Therefore, respecting those rules is generally a matter of necessity too (to ease mutual understanding), a matter of interest and loyalty. However, the same people would regularly cause their language-culture to change (though often very discreetly) and adapt, whenever they encounter novel situations and requirements. So much so, that each language-culture community member would equally have to be ready and prepared to reshape their mindset and think outside the box as required under the relevant circumstances.
Translation and intercultural communication experts know precisely how this feels and works as they move forth and back from one language-culture to another, especially in identifiable instances of the process when creative rather than mnemonic thinking becomes imperative.
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