Language is more than just a tool for communication; it’s a lens through which we experience the world. The words we use, the structure of our sentences, and even the nuances of our grammar subtly shape the way we think, perceive, and interact with our surroundings. Imagine for a moment that your native language has been quietly guiding your thoughts and influencing your worldview all along.
From how you perceive time and space to how you express emotions, the language you grew up speaking holds a powerful influence over your cognitive processes. In this article, we’ll explore seven fascinating ways your native language shapes the way you think—revealing just how deeply intertwined language and thought truly are. Get ready to see your everyday speech in a whole new light!
1. Perception of Time
Have you ever noticed how you think about the past, present, and future? It turns out that your native language plays a significant role in shaping how you conceptualize time. In English, for example, time is often described in horizontal terms, as if it’s a straight line extending from left to right. We “look forward” to the weekend, “put the past behind us,” and “move through” our schedules. This spatial metaphor for time, where the future is in front of us and the past is behind us, is so ingrained that it feels natural.
However, not all languages frame time this way. Take Mandarin Chinese, for instance, where time is sometimes thought of in vertical terms. In Mandarin, you might say that the past is “up” and the future is “down.” This vertical representation of time can influence how Mandarin speakers mentally organize events, leading them to visualize the sequence of time differently than English speakers might, who see it as a horizontal progression.
This linguistic difference isn’t just academic—it has real cognitive consequences. Studies have shown that Mandarin speakers are quicker to recognize temporal sequences when they are presented vertically, whereas English speakers perform better with horizontal sequences.
This suggests that the language you speak doesn’t just reflect your thoughts; it actively shapes how you process and understand the world around you. The way you perceive time might be less about universal human experience and more about the specific language you grew up speaking.
2. Color Perception
Did you know that the language you speak can actually influence how you see the world—literally? Color perception is one of the most striking examples of how language can shape thought. In English, we have a basic set of color terms: red, blue, green, yellow, and so on. But not every language divides the color spectrum in the same way, and these differences can affect how people perceive colors.
Take Russian, for example. In Russian, there are distinct words for light blue (“голубой” or goluboy) and dark blue (“синий” or siniy), whereas English lumps all shades of blue under the single word “blue.” This linguistic distinction means that Russian speakers are faster at distinguishing between light and dark blue than English speakers, who are not accustomed to making such a fine distinction in their language.
This isn’t just about vocabulary; it’s about perception. Studies have shown that the presence or absence of specific color terms in a language can actually influence how speakers of that language see and categorize colors. In other words, if your language doesn’t have separate words for light blue and dark blue, you might find it more challenging to perceive the difference between those shades.
This phenomenon extends beyond Russian. In some languages, like the Himba language spoken in Namibia, there are only a few basic color terms, and the boundaries between colors are drawn differently than in English. As a result, speakers of these languages might categorize colors in ways that seem unusual to English speakers.
What this shows is that our perception of something as seemingly objective as color isn’t entirely hardwired; it’s shaped by the language we use. The way you see the world is quite literally filtered through the lens of your native language.
3. Sense of Direction
Imagine living in a world where, instead of saying “left” or “right,” you always say “north,” “south,” “east,” or “west” to describe directions. For speakers of some languages, this isn’t just a hypothetical scenario—it’s their everyday reality. In languages like Guugu Yimithirr, an Aboriginal language spoken in Australia, speakers use cardinal directions rather than relative terms like “left” or “right” to navigate their surroundings. This linguistic feature profoundly shapes how they perceive and interact with the world.
In these languages, you wouldn’t say, “The cup is to your left.” Instead, you’d say, “The cup is to the north of you.” This requires speakers to have a constant awareness of their orientation in space. As a result, speakers of these languages tend to develop an exceptional sense of direction. They are often far better at orienting themselves in unfamiliar environments than speakers of languages like English, where direction is usually described relative to the speaker’s position.
This heightened spatial awareness isn’t just about language; it’s about cognition. Because their language requires them to keep track of cardinal directions at all times, speakers of these languages train their brains to be acutely aware of their surroundings. This is a powerful example of how language can shape not just what we think, but how we think. The need to constantly monitor the cardinal directions affects everything from memory to problem-solving, as it embeds a strong sense of spatial orientation into the daily lives of its speakers.
So, while most English speakers might rely on landmarks or technology to get their bearings, speakers of languages like Guugu Yimithirr carry an internal compass, honed by the very structure of their language. This demonstrates just how deeply the language we speak can influence our cognitive abilities and perception of the world around us.
4. Understanding of Gender
How does the language you speak shape your understanding of the world? One fascinating way is through the concept of grammatical gender. In many languages, nouns are assigned a gender—masculine, feminine, or sometimes even neuter. This might seem like a trivial linguistic feature, but it actually has a profound impact on how speakers perceive the objects and concepts those nouns represent.
Take, for example, the word for “bridge.” In German, “bridge” (Brücke) is a feminine noun, while in Spanish, it’s masculine (puente). Studies have shown that these gender assignments influence the way people describe objects. German speakers might describe a bridge as “elegant” or “beautiful,” using adjectives typically associated with femininity, while Spanish speakers might describe the same bridge as “strong” or “sturdy,” reflecting more masculine qualities.
These differences in perception highlight how grammatical gender can subtly shape the way speakers of different languages view the world. It’s not just about the words themselves; it’s about the associations and connotations that come with those words. When a noun is assigned a gender, it can influence how people think about the characteristics of the object or concept it represents.
This influence extends beyond inanimate objects. In languages with gendered nouns, even abstract concepts can take on a gendered character. For instance, in French, the word for “love” (amour) is masculine, while in Spanish, “death” (muerte) is feminine. These gender assignments can affect how speakers of these languages emotionally and conceptually relate to these ideas.
This demonstrates that language doesn’t just help us communicate—it helps us construct our reality. The grammatical structures of our native language can influence how we perceive and interact with the world on a very fundamental level, shaping our thoughts and attitudes in ways we might not even realize.
5. Memory and Event Description
Have you ever noticed how you describe events and actions? The language you speak may play a bigger role in shaping these descriptions than you might think. Different languages place emphasis on different aspects of an event, which can, in turn, affect how speakers remember those events.
For instance, in English, there’s a strong focus on the agent performing an action. If someone accidentally knocks over a vase, an English speaker is likely to say, “She broke the vase.” The emphasis is on the person who performed the action, even if it was unintentional. However, in languages like Spanish or Japanese, the same event might be described in a way that emphasizes the action itself rather than the agent. A Spanish speaker might say, “Se rompió el jarrón,” which translates to “The vase broke.” The person who caused the action is not mentioned unless it’s necessary.
This difference in emphasis can shape how events are remembered. Studies have shown that speakers of languages like English, which frequently highlight the agent of actions, are more likely to remember who did something, even if it was an accident. In contrast, speakers of languages that focus more on the action itself might remember the event more abstractly, without the same emphasis on who was responsible.
This linguistic nuance influences not just memory, but also perceptions of blame and responsibility. In cultures where the language focuses on the action rather than the agent, there might be a different approach to assigning blame or interpreting accidents. For example, if the language doesn’t naturally emphasize who did something, the speaker might be less inclined to blame an individual for an accidental outcome.
So, the way you describe and remember events isn’t just a personal choice—it’s shaped by the structure of your language. The emphasis your language places on certain aspects of an event can subtly influence how you perceive, recall, and even judge those events, highlighting the deep connection between language and thought.
6. Expression of Emotions
The way we express emotions is deeply tied to the language we speak. Different languages offer varying vocabularies and idiomatic expressions for describing emotions, which can shape not only how we express our feelings but also how we experience them.
Consider the word “saudade” in Portuguese. It describes a deep emotional state of nostalgic longing for something or someone that is absent, a feeling so complex that it has no direct translation in English. While English speakers might use words like “nostalgia” or “yearning” to convey similar sentiments, these words don’t fully capture the depth and nuance of “saudade.” As a result, Portuguese speakers might experience and express this emotion in a way that feels unique to their language.
Another example is the Japanese concept of “amae,” which refers to the expectation of indulgent dependency, often seen in close relationships. There isn’t a single word in English that embodies this feeling, which reflects how Japanese culture and language place importance on this particular emotional experience. English speakers, lacking an exact term, might not recognize or prioritize this emotion in the same way.
These unique emotional vocabularies highlight how language can shape the way we identify, understand, and communicate our feelings. If your language has a specific word for a complex emotion, you’re more likely to recognize and articulate that emotion. Conversely, if your language lacks a word for a particular feeling, you might find it harder to express or even fully experience that emotion.
Moreover, idiomatic expressions in different languages can also color how emotions are conveyed. For instance, while an English speaker might say they’re “feeling blue” to express sadness, a German speaker might say they have “a heavy heart” (schweres Herz), each metaphor giving a slightly different nuance to the emotion being described.
In essence, the language you speak not only gives you the tools to express your emotions but also shapes how you experience and interpret those emotions. The words and phrases available to you in your native language influence the way you perceive your inner world, providing yet another example of how language profoundly affects thought.
7. Conceptualization of Space and Objects
How do you describe the position of objects around you? The way your language frames spatial relationships can significantly influence how you think about space and even how you interact with your environment.
In English, we commonly use relative terms like “in front of,” “next to,” or “on top of” to describe where things are. For example, you might say, “The book is on the table.” This way of speaking is intuitive for English speakers because it relies on a relative understanding of space, often anchored to the speaker’s perspective.
However, not all languages approach spatial relationships in the same way. In languages like Tzeltal, spoken by indigenous people in Mexico, space is often conceptualized using absolute terms rather than relative ones. For example, instead of saying “the cup is on the left,” a Tzeltal speaker might say “the cup is to the north.” This requires a constant awareness of cardinal directions, even in small-scale, everyday interactions.
This difference in linguistic framing can lead to differences in cognitive abilities. Speakers of languages that use absolute directions tend to have a highly developed sense of orientation, even in unfamiliar environments. They instinctively know which way is north, south, east, or west, because their language and culture have trained them to think about space in these terms from a young age.
Moreover, the way objects and their spatial relationships are described can affect how people perceive and remember these objects. For instance, in languages where objects’ positions are described relative to landmarks (like “the chair is uphill”), speakers may have a different mental map of their environment compared to those who use relative terms based on the speaker’s perspective.
This illustrates how language can influence not just our communication but our very understanding of the world around us. The way your native language handles spatial relationships shapes how you conceptualize space and objects, affecting everything from navigation to memory. It’s a clear example of how deeply our thoughts and perceptions are intertwined with the language we speak.
Hey fellow Linguaholics! It’s me, Marcel. I am the proud owner of linguaholic.com. Languages have always been my passion and I have studied Linguistics, Computational Linguistics and Sinology at the University of Zurich. It is my utmost pleasure to share with all of you guys what I know about languages and linguistics in general.