{"id":3385,"date":"2015-06-03T08:10:35","date_gmt":"2015-06-03T12:10:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/language-news\/?p=3385"},"modified":"2020-10-01T14:52:33","modified_gmt":"2020-10-01T18:52:33","slug":"what-languages-reveal-about-other-cultures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/language-news\/2015\/06\/03\/what-languages-reveal-about-other-cultures\/","title":{"rendered":"What Languages Reveal about Other Cultures"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cA different language is a different vision of life.\u201d \u2013 Federico Fellini<\/em><\/p>\n

It sounds like one of those motivational phrases you\u2019d read on a daily quote calendar. You might nod your head in agreement or make a quick internal \u201caww\u201d, but in reality, you\u2019re not totally buying it. It just sounds\u2026 fluffy<\/em>, right?<\/p>\n

But those of us who have learned, or are learning, another language, we know that behind the warm, fuzzy feeling, there\u2019s a real sentiment to that statement. A language can hide bits and pieces of a society\u2019s culture, and learning that language discloses the details.<\/p>\n

In Japan, for example, the highly valued qualities of honor and respect are literally built in to the language<\/a>. The language employs various honorifics to demonstrate polite, respectful, and humble speech. Honorifics are also used to \u201cbeautify\u201d words; even daily objects are spoken of with a reverence in Japanese. The prefix \u201cO\u201d, roughly translated to English as \u201chonorable,\u201d precedes nouns like water (O-mizu) or rice crackers (O-senbei). In this way, the Japanese are constantly expressing their respect and gratitude for their belongings.<\/p>\n

Languages can influence far more than our thoughts\u2014they can even impact our abilities and actions. Nearly one third of the world\u2019s languages speak of space in terms of absolute directions (think north, south, east and west instead of left and right). Speakers of these languages, like the Pormpuraaw<\/a> language of Australia, have an uncanny sense of direction and orientation, even in unfamiliar places.<\/p>\n

Some researchers believe the connection runs much deeper, researching how the languages we speak subconsciously influence our behaviors. This TED Talk<\/a>, for example, seeks to answer whether or not your language affects your ability to save money. (Hint: presenter Keith Chen argues it does.) Whether you\u2019re a die hard Whorfian<\/a> believer or a staunch opponent to any such hypothesis, it\u2019s hard to view language and culture as entirely.<\/p>\n

So, what languages are you learning? What have they revealed about other cultures? Let\u2019s expand this list of examples!<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"A

\u201cA different language is a different vision of life.\u201d \u2013 Federico Fellini It sounds like one of those motivational phrases you\u2019d read on a daily quote calendar. You might nod your head in agreement or make a quick internal \u201caww\u201d, but in reality, you\u2019re not totally buying it. It just sounds\u2026 fluffy, right? But those…<\/p>\n

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