I find it difficult to directly connect the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis to my interactions with the children at Neque Mas Neque. For one, my interaction with them have been very short. In that short time, I spoke coherent Spanish with them only a handful of times. I do not feel as if I have gotten to actually understand their worldview any more than I can say that I understand their language.
Perhaps the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis would say that I cannot understand the kids' world view because I do not understand their language, but to be honest I think it is, at least in part, just a matter of our small period of interaction.
To be honest, however, I doubt that having a full understand of Spanish would truly tell me all that I need to know about their culture. The basic premise of the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis is that language shapes the worldview and culture of a society in a process known as linguistic determinism. However, I have always mistrusted this theory and instead prefer the concept of linguistic relativism. This concept is very similar to linguistic determinism but states that it is not only language that shapes culture, but that culture also shapes language. This theory means that, yes, a language will reflect the worldview of a culture. However, it also acknowledges that that reflection may not necessarily be the cause of a society's worldview. Indeed it may be the exact opposite, at times when language is constructed in direct result of a worldview that a society already has.
Perhaps the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis would say that I cannot understand the kids' world view because I do not understand their language, but to be honest I think it is, at least in part, just a matter of our small period of interaction.
To be honest, however, I doubt that having a full understand of Spanish would truly tell me all that I need to know about their culture. The basic premise of the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis is that language shapes the worldview and culture of a society in a process known as linguistic determinism. However, I have always mistrusted this theory and instead prefer the concept of linguistic relativism. This concept is very similar to linguistic determinism but states that it is not only language that shapes culture, but that culture also shapes language. This theory means that, yes, a language will reflect the worldview of a culture. However, it also acknowledges that that reflection may not necessarily be the cause of a society's worldview. Indeed it may be the exact opposite, at times when language is constructed in direct result of a worldview that a society already has.
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