Re: Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

Nik Taylor wrote:
>
> "Thomas R. Wier" wrote:
> > I think part of the problem with understanding the Sapir-Whorf
> > dilemma is that culture and language are so often interconnected
>
> Which is why I said a while back that they aren't really separable.
> Indeed, changes often are both linguistic and cultural at the same
> time.  If a foreign people bring new ideas to a group, say a new
> religion, then even if the foreigners attempt to learn the language,
> they will inevitably be influenced by their native language.  And if
> they are successful in introducing these new ideas, they may be highly
> respected, and therefore have a good deal of influence on the language,
> and the new ideas will obviously affect the culture.  In addition,
> internal changes to culture often involve deliberate changes in
> language.  The Quakers deliberately abandoned the "ye/you" forms in
> favor of "thou/thee" to everyone, to underscore their extreme
> egalitarianism.  In modern times, complex pronouns like "he/she" are
> appearing.  Is this a change in language to reflect cultural change, or
> a language change attempting to effect cultural change?  A little of
> both, I think.
>
        I think it's even more complicated thatn that. What about the Russian
Revolution? The structure and even the culture of a country changed in
less than a generation, but as far as I know, The rate of change of the
Russian language stayed the same, not quickened at all by the change in
ideas. The culture-language connection is still very mysterious I think.

--
        Christophe Grandsire

        Philips Research Laboratories --  Building WB 145
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