Language and thought

Linguistic Relativity

The hypothesis that the structure of a language affects its speakers' worldview or cognition.

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

The theory that the language a person speaks influences the way they think.

Internal Speech

The process of talking to oneself mentally, often used as a mechanism for processing thoughts.

Egocentric Speech

Speech directed towards oneself, often observed in young children as they learn language.

Abstract Concepts

Ideas that do not have a physical existence, such as justice, democracy, and love.

Concrete Concepts

Ideas that refer to physical objects or phenomena, such as a chair, dog, or table.

Cognition

The mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses.

Traditional View of Language and Thought

The perspective that thoughts shape the language we use to express those thoughts.

Benjamin Lee Whorf

A linguist who believed that language shapes thought, closely associated with the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis.

Lev Vygotsky

A psychologist who believed in the developmental relationship between language and thought.

Language of Thought

The theory that thought is structured in a language internal to the mind.

Linguistic Determinism

The strong version of the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis claiming that language determines thought.

Universal Grammar

The theory proposed by Noam Chomsky that suggests there are inherent structures common to all languages.

Dual Coding Theory

A theory that suggests that combining verbal and visual information can enhance memory and retrieval.