Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[ClarissaMach]

Do you believe that the languages a person speaks shapes the way his/her conceptualize the world?

Once I was listening to a BBC documentary on BBC radio whose theme was the acquisition of a second language and the way languages influence our minds. The documentary described a research done with Japanese and British students, who were to describe a given figure. Whereas the British focused the colors when describing the figure, the Japanese focused the shapes. Although it did not prove anything, it gave a �hint� that different languages/cultures might influence our points of view even when it concerns very basic aspects such as the appearance of a draw.

Another aspect of this question is the fact that students who speak a second language have lots of cognitive benefits and demonstrate a competency above the average when it comes to reading, writing and � oddly! -- mathematics. Good for us, isn�t it? (I finally felt normal about my passion for maths despite being a journalist!).
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Stormy Weather.

[Manuel]

I really don�t think that language can modify our way of seeing the world, however, I think that learning a language involves aprehending culture and information that otherwise we wouldn�t get. And that can modify your point of view.

[Mallaien]

I believe art is a reflection of culture. Art trancendes language, so the interpretation would depend on the culture.

Take a look at the differences between Japanese and American comic book art. On the subject of movement, american's will blur the subject, whereas jabanese will blur the background. In this case, it is showing the difference in focus pertaining to the action.
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Visit my Blog on a Chinese web site. I discuss many things about American culture, and the site is getting quite popular. http://mallaien.blog.sohu.com/

[ltp-008]

I do believe that the language someone speaks shape the way he or she views the world.

First,people are raised in their native language environment,so since their birth,they are affected by their parents and neighbors ,they accept the views in which their parents and neighbors have,when they went to school,they are educated by their native language,they accept what their teachers teach them,through this way most people gradually shape their views of the world.

When people begin to study their second language,they start to access to rest world besides their native country,they begin to understand other countries's culture and customs,through this way they open their eyes towards the rest world,some people may graudually change their views toward the world by accepting other countries'culture and civilization.

The world is gradually intergrated through combination of different culture and customs,the United States is a good example in which people of many various backgrouds live together side by side peacefullly and harmoniously ,although there are Christians ,Islam,white people and black people in same community.Sometime they may have culture conflicts ,religious conflicts or political conflicts,but overall,they are living together peacefully and harmoniously,it seem like that they adapt themselves very well to that multiculture country.