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From Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis to Foreign Language Learning i

From Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis to Foreign Language Learning

From Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis to Foreign Language Learning ii

Abstract

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, which studies the relationship between language and thought, it has played a leading role in the academic world for a long time. Some scholars claim that people's thought was influenced, directly and definitely, by language. But some stick to the view that this hypothesis is characterized by the following shortcomings: the exaggeration of the function of language, the limited explanatory ability, the ignorance of diachronic change and language and the lack of ability to explain language variance. But after the analysis of the linguistic features of Chinese and English, as well as their respective modes of thought, both the strong and weak version seems invalid. Maybe it is more correct to say that language is the carrier of thought and reflects thought. Language and thought interact with each other. Though the relationship between language and thought is hard to define, the study itself has its implications for foreign language teaching and learning: in concept understanding, in syntax study or discourse study, as well as in vocabulary study, will be more effective if it is from different cognitive perspectives and different modes of thought.

From Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis to Foreign Language Learning iii

Contents

Chapter I Introduction to Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis……………………………1 Chapter II Contrastive linguistic features of Chinese and English……………2 2.1 Parataxis and Hypotaxis……………………………………………….2 2.2 Active and Passive…………………………………………………….3 2.3 Dynamic and Static……………………………………………………3 2.4 Person and Imperson………………………………………………….4 Chapter III Contrastive thinking-patterns of Chinese and English…………...4 3.1 Ethics and Cognition………………………………………………….4 3.2 Synthetic and Analytic…………… ………………………………….5 3.3 Intuition and Evidence………………………………………………..5 3.4 Figurative thinking and Logic thinking……………………………….5 Chapter IV Relationship between language and thought……………………..6 Chapter V The implication of Relationship between language and thought on

foreign language learning…………………………………………..7 5.1Conceptuallevel………………………………………………………..7 5.2 Word level……………………………………………………………8 5.3 Syntactic level………………………………………………………..8 5.4 Textual level…………………………………………………………9

Chapter VI Conclusion…………………………………………………9 References...............................................................................................10

From Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis to Foreign Language Learning 1

From Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis to Foreign Language Learning

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, which studies the relationship between language and thought. It has two versions-------the strong version, language determinism and the weak version--------language relativism. It holds that language shapes thought, and at least influences thought, but I content that language is the manifestation of thought. has its implications for foreign language teaching and learning: learning, in concept understanding, in syntax study or discourse study, as well as in vocabulary study, will be more effective if it is from different cognitive perspectives and different cultures.

Learning a foreign language, Chinese or English, it’s learning how to use the foreign language as a tool for second mode of thought. So the comparison of the two different thinking-patterns is beneficial and essential to master the target language and improve ability of second mode of thought. For example, it will give the guide to the teaching of second language and the writing of composition. Of course mode of thought belongs to philosophy. So it is a very complicated concept, and to go deep into it will need a very long time and also requires many efforts.

Chapter I Introduction to the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis is a theory put forward by the American anthropological linguists Sapir and Whorf. It states that language determines thought and speakers of different languages perceive and experience the world differently.

As a very influential but also extremely controversial theory that has ever been made in the study of the relationships between language and culture. It has played a leading role in the

From Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis to Foreign Language Learning 2 academic world for a long time, claimed that people's thought was influenced, directly and definitely, by language. It has evolved into two versions; the strong version: Linguistic determinism, which holds that Language is a shaper of ideas; the structure of a language shapes or constrains the way we think about and interpret reality in that language; another is the weak version: Linguistic relativism, which believes that Language influences the way we think about and conceptualize reality; our thought processes are “filtered” through the language we speak.

I don't think the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis is valid, because as for as I am concerned, our thinking-patterns have controlled over our languages, and languages are the concrete manifestation of our modes of thought. Modes of thought decide the use of languages, and the reasons how languages are influenced by modes of thought should be examined from their relationship.

In order to find the relationship between language and thought, first it is necessary to analyze the different linguistic features of Chinese and English as well as their respective modes of thought.

Chapter II A contrastive of linguistic features of Chinese and English

Chinese and English belong to different language families, of which the former is a branch of Sino-Tibetan; the latter is o part of Indo-European. They are doomed to have different features. Specifically, the main differences of linguistic features between Chinese and language are as follows:

2.1 Parataxis and Hypotaxis

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