In the YouTube video ‘The Strange Weirdness Of Language,’ the channel The Art Of Storytelling takes us on a journey to explore the fascinating relationship between language and cognition.
The video delves into how language structures reflect the structure of human thinking, the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, the paradox of definition, the concept of phonosemantics, and much more.
This article aims to summarize the key points presented in the video, providing a detailed explanation of each point, practical implementation tips, and how these concepts relate to day-to-day life.
? Your Grammar Brain Is Smarter Than You Think
The video opens with an example that may have slipped by your conscious mind: when you ask a yes-or-no question, your voice rises. “Is it raining?” “Is your dog friendly?”
Meanwhile, other questions—“What time is it?”—drop in tone. This isn’t something most people are taught, but we all do it instinctively.
Then there’s the Royal Order of Adjectives. You’d never say “a black cute poodle.” You’d say “a cute black poodle.” Why? Because, in English, adjectives follow a hidden structure: quantity > opinion > size > age > shape > color > origin > material > purpose.
Example? “My one beautiful big old round black Canadian plastic racing poodle.” It’s ridiculous, but your brain accepts it. Reorder the adjectives, and suddenly it sounds like nonsense.
? Does Language Shape Your Reality? (Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis)
The video presents the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which suggests that the structure of a language can influence how its speakers perceive reality.
One standout example is how some languages—like those spoken by certain Indigenous groups—don’t use “left” or “right,” but instead use cardinal directions (north, south, etc.).
Even more mind-bending is how the Amara people of the Andes conceptualize time: for them, the future is behind them (because it is unknown) and the past is in front of them (because it’s known). This shows that even the direction we imagine time flowing can be linguistically and culturally shaped.
? The Definition Dilemma: Words That Eat Their Own Tails
This section explores a classic philosophical rabbit hole: can anything be defined absolutely? According to the video, language is recursive, meaning definitions often rely on other definitions in an infinite loop. Try defining “reality.” It leads to “everything that exists,” which leads to “to exist,” which leads to… well, it never ends.
The video also references philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, who famously said, “Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.” It’s a way of acknowledging that language has limits.
? Sounds That Mean Something
Here’s where it gets physical. The creator explains phonosemantics—the idea that certain sounds naturally carry meaning. For instance, words involving the nose often start with “sn”—like sniff, snort, sneeze, snore, snout, snarl. Try saying “snarl” and you’ll notice the nasal push of air through your nose.
Another example: “gl” words often relate to smoothness or light—glass, glide, gloss, glow, gleam, glisten. The sound itself feels light and airy, and that’s part of the point.
Also highlighted is that the sounds “ma” and “ba” are among the easiest for babies to produce, which may explain why “mama” and “baba” are used for parents across many languages. It’s linguistic evolution from baby babble.
? When Words Get Pricey
In the final section, the video shows that word meaning isn’t just an academic debate—it has real consequences. For example, in the legal fallout of the 9/11 attacks, a massive insurance payout hinged on the word “occurrence.”
Did the two plane crashes count as one coordinated occurrence or two separate events? The courts couldn’t settle on a firm definition, and insurers ended up interpreting it differently—some paying once, others twice. Billions of dollars were at stake over a single word.
Another example: Bill Clinton’s infamous “It depends upon what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is.” Language lawyered to the extreme.
? Language: The Lens We Think Through
This video by The Art Of Storytelling is a treasure trove for anyone fascinated by how language quietly shapes our thoughts, decisions, and even global events. From baby babble to billion-dollar lawsuits, the creator argues that language is not just a communication tool—it’s a cognitive lens.
Give the video a shot and if you do happen to like it, make sure to subscribe!
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.