Does Your Language Shape How You Think? Seventy years ago‚ in 1940‚ a popular science magazine published a short article that set in motion one of the trendiest intellectual fads of the 20th century. At first glance‚ there seemed little about the article to augur its subsequent celebrity. Neither the title‚ “Science and Linguistics‚” nor the magazine‚ M.I.T.’s Technology Review‚ was most people’s idea of glamour. And the author‚ a chemical engineer who worked for an insurance company and moonlighted
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What is language? As North Americans living in the early 21st century‚ we have been educated about language from the time we entered school. But much of what we learn about language in schools belongs more to a folk model than to an analytic model of language. Here are several pervasive aspects of our folk model of language. Language is a communication system. It is true that we use language to communicate with others. However‚ language is much more than a communication system. The most recent
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people have when discussing the role of the Germans during the war. However Malle approaches the topic from a more complex angle thus forcing the reader to question the general stereotypes and examine the varying attitudes of both the French and Germans‚ by portraying them in certain situations in which they adopt a sometimes unexpected attitude. During a scene in the beginning of the book whilst the boys are out in the village they encounter a group of German soldiers‚ Malle exposes this situation
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The World Language—English Can you speak English? English is spoken as a first language by the majority populations of several countries: including the United Kingdom‚ the United States‚ Canada‚ Australia‚ Ireland‚ New Zealand‚ and some Caribbean countries. Nowadays‚ many people in the world can communicate with others from different countries in English. For example‚ when a Chinese meets a German‚ they can talk very well as long as both of them can speak English. Also‚ there are more and more young
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Language innovation It is well known that time changes everything in this universe; thus; it would be strange if language alone does not alter. As the famous linguist Ferdinand de Saussure noted ‘’time changes all things: there is no reason why language should escape thi suniversal law’’ in (Aitchison (ed)‚ 1981: 16). All living languages are in a constant state of change in the sense that‚ new words and expressions come into existence‚ old words are dropped and new pronunciation takes place
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Charlemagne said: “to have another language is to possess a second soul”. Language is common to all people and each in its own context. It links us all together and defines us as individuals. It can be a source of a great power and influence. Born and living in Lebanon‚ I have acquired Arabic as my native language. Like any other country‚ the Arabic language in Lebanon differs from region to another which is defined ad dialect. Coming from an urban region‚ mine is the most common one even
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Can language be used as a political instrument? Language is a system of signs and meanings that usually shared by a community of people. There is no doubt that language is very important and necessary in the society. Language offers people the means for interaction and to depict ‘people‚ places and things’. (Butt and David‚ 1986) Edward Sapir (1884–1939)‚an American linguist and anthropologist‚ was the first one who proposed the idea that the power of language can influence culture and thinkings
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English as a global language English has become the global language in the 20th century. It is the language of trade‚ diplomacy and the internet. However the increase in international languages‚ in particular English isolate smaller languages even within their own homelands. In other countries the languages that are supposed to unite the diverse country increasingly is becoming a second class languages. As it becomes more attractive to learn global languages so smaller languages become not worth learning
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Politics and the English Language The essay “Politics and the English Language” by George Orwell shows that most individuals use the English language improperly. Writers should “get one’s meaning as clear as one can through pictures and sensations” (Orwell‚ 8). Many individuals are aware of the common misusage of the English language today‚ but in general do not believe that they are capable of taking action. If action is taken‚ individuals will be able to understand the language more clearly. Orwell’s
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A common language. There is no doubt that a common language used throughout the world would do much to brings countries closer to each other. Thought it is becoming increasingly easy to move from place to place‚ our inability to communicate with one another‚ gives rise to numerous misunderstandings and makes real contact between people of different nationalities impossible. Many attempts have been made to overcome this problem and they have all failed. The fear of foreign influence and domination
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