Re: Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

Walter Mack wrote:

> Anyway, I read some literature on the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis that the
> language in which a person thinks structures their thoughts.
I am sure that culture shapes thought, and culture and thought both
shape language, but then language takes a terrible revenge on both ...

> The one language will never quite translate directly
> into the other. However, our hypothetical person can think equally well in
> either one.
People don't really think in language, at least not exclusively
and probably not more than 22.7% ... the rest is visual, musical,
muscular, tactile, imaginary, accidental, or extrasensory.

> Suppose they have, unconsciously, developed a para-language of "symbols"
> which they use to translate between the two verbal languages. In essence,
> the person would be able to think in symbols, as well as (or instead of)
> words.
I guess I agree: they do think in non-words, um, almost 80% of the time.

> If this were correct, then just learning several languages would
> facilitate thinking that was as fast (or faster) than if one were to
> be a native speaker of lojban?
It probably helps develop cross-cultural understanding,
which expands the mind tremendously. I need to try that.

[Some of the above comments may be intended quasi-humorously.]