Essay On Sapir Whorf Hypothesis

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
Shiza Rathore
Lahore School of Economics

The linguistic theory is basically that the structure of a language forms or possibly limits the different ways in which an individual speaker devises different ideas of the world. The basic concept that language shapes the thinking of an individual speaker was initially formed by German philosophers J.G Herder and W.V. Humboldt. If languages forms ideas, then it also plays a vital part in moulding the attitudes of individuals. Hence, these individuals who speak different languages must have different wold views. It is the idea that what one perceives is dependent on the language spoken by the individual person.
Linguist Edward Sapir and his student Benjamin Lee Whorf are basically known for the popularization of this theory. Therefore it being called the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis also known as the Theory of Linguistic Relativity. Their writings state that there is a clear connection between language and thought. For Sapir, the individual is not entirely aware of this connection and is subject to it without any choice whereas for Whorf, this connection between and language was also not a choice for the individuals but a compulsion. Both,

Deaf children viewed a doll which was placed in a marble box. The children see the marble being removed and placed in a basket after the doll is taken away. They were then later asked where they believe the doll will look for the marble. The deaf children participants with deaf parents answered correctly whereas deaf children with deaf parents mostly answered incorrectly. The experiment showed how the deaf children whose parents have communicated with them through sign language did well and how children who had not grown up in a strong linguistic environment, that is the parents not being fluent in American Sign Language did not do well in the