Cultural Language reflecting

Question

The way we view the world is directly tied to the language we learn to describe it. What are some examples where language reflects culturally based perspectives

Answer 1

Hi there!

Color Terms

English has eleven basic color terms; "black", "white", "red", "green", "yellow", "blue", "brown", "orange", "pink", "purple", and "grey".

Russian has twelve which translate to; "black", "white", "red", "green", "yellow", "blue", "azure", "brown", "orange", "pink", "purple", and "grey".

So, an English child, when presented with a blue toy only has one basic word for that toy, but a Russian child must choose between two words for the same toy.

Some languages have as few as two color terms which would roughly translate into English as 'white' and 'black' but are more closely aligned with the idea of 'light' and 'dark'. These differences in language reflect a different way of categorizing the world.

Introductions:

This one is a little more abstract.

English: My name is Megan.

Russian: Menya zovut Megan. 'They call me Megan'

These differences reflect a difference is what is called a person's locus of control. Essentially this means the way a person feels they relate to the world, either with an internal locus of control (English) where they control their own fate or an external locus of control (Russian) where their fate is controlled by some other force.