Answer :
Final answer:
The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis suggests that the language we speak influences our perception of the world, a principle known as linguistic relativity. However, there are also universal principles of understanding attributed to our shared human biology, demonstrating a complex relationship between language and thought.
Explanation:
The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis proposes that our understanding of reality and the world around us is influenced by the language that we speak. This is a key principle of linguistic relativity. In simpler terms, the variety of language we use can affect our habits of thought. For instance, English speakers who have access to the word 'ambivalent' will recognize having conflicting positive and negative feelings about an issue as 'ambivalence', whereas this concept may be interpreted differently by speakers of other languages that may not have an equivalent word.
Edward Sapir and Benjamin Whorf, the intellectual contributors to this theory, were particularly interested in studying how non-Western languages conveyed forms of complex, abstract thought differently compared to Euro-American patterns of thinking. One example they explored was the concept of time in different languages. In English, time is segmented into countable units like seconds, minutes, days, months, and years. However, this approach to time may not necessarily be mirrored in other languages, suggesting that language can indeed shape one's perception of reality.
The notion of linguistic universals is complementary to linguistic relativity. It acknowledges that despite the influence of language on thought and perception, there are certain universal principles rooted in human biology that guide the way all humans understand and frame their world. Therefore, while our language can shape our perception of reality, it doesn't solely define it, suggestive of a dynamic interdependence between language and thought.
Learn more about Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis here:
https://brainly.com/question/30392699
#SPJ11
