How Does Language Affect Knowledge

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How Language Affects Knowledge Languages vary all over the world. As a medium of communication, it is through language that people are able to convey what they feel and what they know, what they desire, what they hate, what they support, what they understand and the like. It is important in every human activity because it is through the use of language that they can interact with each other properly. Barriers of communication are destroyed when one is able to communicate effectively—may it be through the use of words, gestures, or even the tone of voice used. Language does not only affect one’s perception and how a person looks and thinks about life. Language also changes the behavior of a person when it is used inappropriately. Language…show more content…
Language, among all others, is one of those. Language does not only increase knowledge but it affects the way one thinks. It affects how a certain individual sees things because he knows the main ways of knowing. Furthermore, he knows because of the knowledge perceived through the use of sense. People speak, read, and can sometimes read body language. Even the blind have their own way of gaining knowledge through reading. They make use of their sense of touch. Basically, language and perception are important in giving and increasing one’s knowledge (“How does language affect the way we see things?”). Linguistic relativity holds that language affects the way a speaker conceptualize his thoughts. There are two versions in this principle: (i) the strong version which postulates that it is language which determines the thoughts, emotions, and feelings of a person; and (ii) the weak version argues that what influences behavior are linguistic categories. The principle of linguistic relativity describes formulations how the cognitive process relating to how a person thinks, retains memory, or expresses his thoughts are influenced by the language he speaks. The idea that language and feelings are correlated with each other causes the debate among linguists. Linguistic determinism posits that language solely determines all the mental abilities and processes of a person. Agreed altogether as false, this theory is still studied by many…show more content…
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