Linguistic relativity: enduring ideas about language, culture, and thought

Abstract

Linguistic relativity, as conceptualized by Benjamin Lee Whorf, is a theory concerning the relationship between language and thought in the minds of speakers. Linguistic relativity posits that not only does language casually impact thought, but that different languages casually impact thought in different ways. Whorf’s ideas about language, though fascinating, have been thoroughly scrutinized by linguists and psychologists alike. Though linguistic relativity suggests a causal connection between language and thought, research on this proposed connection is strictly limited to correlational data. There has been no strong empirical evidence to substantiate Whorf’s hypothesis to date, leaving little substance to support this overarching theory. Despite this lack of evidence, linguistic relativity continuously appears in the literature across many disciplines. Recent emphasis on highlighting multiculturalism in academia, especially in anthropology, has seen the return of linguistic relativity to general discussions of cross-cultural differences. The persistence of Whorfian ideas in the humanities is analyzed through a Kuhnian lens, as linguistic relativity’s popularity fluctuates in line with larger cultural trends. Keywords: linguistics, psychology, linguistic relativity, Whorfian hypothesis