BUSINESS

COMMUNICATION
PROJECT

Name: Tanuj Bhardwaj

Class: FY BCom
Division: B
Roll No.: 308
Year: 2022-23
Semester: I
Mobile No.: 8950295391
Email Id.- tanuj5636@gmail.com
How language shapes the way
we think -

For so long, people have treated words as mere labels for

objects, and languages as different ways to string words
together to convey thoughts, feelings, and concepts. But
language is more than that. Because of it, we can exchange
complex thoughts and ideas with one another, whether it be
spoken aloud or written in ink. It’s also through language that
we’re able to trigger emotions, imagination, and action. People
transmit complicated sounds by using language. Language
transmits knowledge across people’s minds.
Do the languages we speak shape the way we see the world,
the way we think, and the way we live our lives? Do people who
speak different languages think differently simply because they
speak different languages? Does learning new languages
change the way you think? Do polyglots think differently when
speaking different languages?

Languages are living things, meaning that their vocabulary can

change over time. In addition to that, various communities and
social groups might actually speak differently, due to various
sub-slangs and other linguistic circles. For instance, young
people might express themselves differently when compared to
a much older generation. The culture and environment around
us also directly impact our language. It’s a fascinating field of
study, which is still in its early stages.
The language we speak influences many different things. It can
impact the way that we think about time, space, and even
colours. There was a recent study that compared the way
different people perceive the colour blue. Individuals from
English-speaking countries couldn’t detect a gradual colour
change from light to dark blue. However, participants from
Russia could readily identify this categorical change. The study
suggests that the people who came from a Russian language
background could identify the colour change quicker. The
reason? Possibly because they had different words to
specifically categorize different shades of blue. Their language
had a more accurate degree of depth when describing various
shades of the colour, as opposed to chalking them all down to
the same word.
People who speak different languages focus on different things,
depending on the words or sentence structure available to
them. It influences our thought process and our feelings.

There was a recent study focused on an Australian indigenous

community whose members didn’t use the words “right” and
“left”. Instead, they used compass directions in their daily
interactions. For instance, every time they would greet each
other they would respond by saying which orientation they were
walking in. Conversely, English speakers wouldn’t rely so much
on that. Even if someone would ask an English speaker for
directions, it would invariably involve the words “right” and “left,”
rather than “west” or “south.”

The bottom line is that the way those indigenous people use
compass directions in their language has a profound impact on
how they move in the landscape.
Gender can play a significant role across many languages in
cultures. In languages such as German, Italian, and Spanish
nouns are gendered. This means that there are masculine and
feminine words, rather than neutral terms. For instance, in the
Italian language, the word beer is “Birra” which is a feminine
noun. The Italian word for wine is “vino”, which is a masculine
noun. Research indicates that the way that native speakers
describe these objects depends on the gender of the noun. For
example, “vino” may be described as strong and full-bodied,
which are more masculine words. “Birra” may be described as
“light” and “bubbly”, which are more feminine characteristics.
For another example, if they were to explain a “bridge”. German
speakers are more likely to use words like “beautiful” and
“elegant” which are more feminine on the other hand Spanish
speakers would use words like “strong” and “sturdy” which are
masculine.

In conclusion, it is becoming increasingly clear that language

has a deep impact on the way we think, describe, and feel
about the world. Together, these findings demonstrate how
language processes permeate even the most fundamental
areas of cognition, unintentionally influencing everything from
our most basic processes of cognition and perception to our
loftiest ideas and most important life choices. Language is
fundamental to the human experience, and the languages we
speak have a significant impact on how we think, see the world,
and live our lives.