Linguistic relativity: thinking differently in Chinese
Manage episode 446639847 series 3597310
I’m always amazed by how similar the languages of the world are when I’m learning a new language. Languages are able to express the same concepts, often in strikingly similar ways. The apparent differences in lexicon, grammar, sound and so on, that are so obvious, are often far less stark below the surface.
Yet, those subtle differences between languages are not to be underestimated, because it is here that really interesting things happen, because they can make us think differently about the world and make us have different perceptions across languages. This, it seems happens right from the start of learning another language.
Subtle differences between languages can also lead to a lot of misunderstandings, and I had my fair share of these learning Chinese. How, for example, is it possible to talk to someone for half an hour and totally misunderstand the main premise of the conversation? Listen in to find out!
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