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Why the World Looks the Same in Any Language
Oxford University Press
May 2014
On Sale: April 29, 2014
240 pages
ISBN: 0199361584
EAN: 9780199361588
Hardcover
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Non-Fiction
Japanese has a term that covers both green and blue. Russian
has separate terms for dark and light blue. Does this mean
that Russians perceive these colors differently from
Japanese people? Does language control and limit the way we
think?
This short, opinionated book addresses the
Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which argues that the language we
speak shapes the way we perceive the world. Linguist John
McWhorter argues that while this idea is mesmerizing, it is
plainly wrong. It is language that reflects culture and
worldview, not the other way around. The fact that a
language has only one word for eat, drink, and smoke doesn't
mean its speakers don't process the difference between food
and beverage, and those who use the same word for blue and
green perceive those two colors just as vividly as others
do.
McWhorter shows not only how the idea of
language as a lens fails but also why we want so badly to
believe it: we're eager to celebrate diversity by
acknowledging the intelligence of peoples who may not think
like we do. Though well-intentioned, our belief in this idea
poses an obstacle to a better understanding of human nature
and even trivializes the people we seek to celebrate. The
reality -- that all humans think alike -- provides another,
better way for us to acknowledge the intelligence of all
peoples.
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