Task 2:

Does Language Shape

The Way We Think?

Below are my thoughts on Dr. Lera Boroditsky’s Lecture:
How the Languages We Speak Shape the Ways We Think

[18:31] Early in the lecture, Dr. Boroditsky makes a statement about the causal impact of language on thinking. She states, “When you are teaching people to talk a new way, you are teaching them to think a new way as well.” I couldn’t help but reflect on how prohibiting people from speaking their first language and forcing them to learn to use another language has been used as a tool for control and colonization. In applying what Dr. Boroditsky has so clearly laid out, this occurrence hinders communication and changes how individuals think. It reinforces how vital language revitalization is to cultural preservation, not just to prevent a language from being lost but also to preserve a way of thinking.

I recall watching a friend converse in her first language after a long period of speaking mostly English. It was fascinating to observe the joy and ease she spoke with, and it was apparent how uplifting it was for her to have this opportunity. At the time, I attributed it to familiarity, a sense of home, and confidence that she was being understood (she struggled with English). However, after watching Dr. Boroditsky’s lecture, I wonder if there was another layer to the joy experienced in that situation. Having shared language and, as a byproduct, some shared ways of thinking may also facilitate the ease of communication and the ability to be understood. Is it possible that communication with people in a shared language allows for deeper connections based on similar ways of thinking?

[29:18] Dr. Boroditsky goes on to highlight how the many options provided by language allow for various interpretations or understandings of the same event. She humorously uses quotes about Cheney shooting his hunting companion. With the increased access to information online, I wonder how often this aspect of language is used intentionally to spread misinformation. Does the way we typically consume language in today’s society, short snippets of information quickly, play a detrimental role? We can easily be misled if our news is mainly digested as catchy headlines that could be interpreted in various ways without reading further or obtaining all the facts.

I began to think of the inherent bias in standardized tests that produced results that were heavily relied upon while I was in school. English as a second language students are already at a disadvantage having to express their knowledge in a new and unfamiliar language; they may also face additional barriers as their way of thinking (influenced by their language) may differ from that of the test creator. Cultural knowledge and ways of thinking may be unintentionally woven into exam questions. How can these differences be acknowledged in education? How does this thought apply to bilingual speakers?

[32:38] After highlighting the many options language provides, Dr. Boroditsky focuses on grammatical forms in language and their influence on what an individual attends to. Our inability to attend to everything in every situation is mentioned; no two individuals will come away from a situation recalling the exact same specifics of an event. This notion provides another layer of understanding or call for empathy when encountering individuals with opinions that differ from our own. There is so much at play when interpreting a situation; in addition to the impact that an individual’s life experience, emotional state, physical state, etc., has on their perception of events, their language may also have an impact.

At this point in the lecture, I started to think about the process of language learning and bilingualism. When beginning to learn a language, there is a frequent translation of sorts occurring in our minds, where the language we are learning is being filtered and translated into a language we are more familiar with – at what point does the impact of language on thought start? Does one have to have a certain degree of fluency or start “thinking” (as opposed to translating) in a language for an impact on thinking to take place?

[44:47] Dr. Boroditsky makes a very impactful statement with accompanying text on the slides at the time stamp 44:47: “While we’re capable of seeing the world in many different lights, we don’t often think to look. ” The examples provided earlier in the lecture referencing how speakers of some languages other than English perceive time and space tied well with this statement. The understandings of time and space that differed from mine didn’t make sense initially; however, they were perfectly logical when examining the structure of the language the individuals spoke. These interpretations of time and space had not occurred to me previously.

[53:48] In the past, I was employed as a training specialist and early literacy coordinator for a provincial public library system. I was encouraged by and appreciated Dr. Boroditsky’s mention of research demonstrating the tie between fiction and improvement in the theory of mind. She goes on to mention how experiences, whether lived or read, broaden one’s mind, leading to increased creativity and open-mindedness, adding to the list of the many benefits of reading literature.

[57:01] and [45:11] Dr. Boroditsky speaks to the ingenuity of the human mind and the constant state of change in language. As a millennial and an educator, I have concerns about how the prevalence of texting might negatively impact language and how we communicate. Dr. Boroditsky’s statement was a good reminder that language has always evolved and will continue to.