Page 109 - Sociology and You

Chapter 3 Culture 79
Does the hypothesis of linguistic relativity mean we are prisoners of our language?
Even if our view of the world is shaped
largely by language, we are not forever
trapped by our own language. Exposure to anoth- er language or to new words can alter a person’s perception of the world. (This is one reason why it is important to avoid using racist slurs and stereotypical labels.) People can begin to
view the world differently as they learn a new language or vocabulary. However, most people do confine themselves to the language and vocabulary they learned from birth. They tend not to change their views of the world. You can either expand or limit your outlook, depending upon how you use language.
What other factors help to shape
our perception of reality? How we
perceive the world around us is influenced by more than vocabulary. Cultures may differ in many ways, and these differences influence how their members experience the world. The Japanese use paper walls as sound bar- riers and are not bothered by noise in adjacent rooms. Americans staying at hotels in Japan complain they are being bombarded with noise because Westerners have not been conditioned (mentally trained) to screen out sound.
Privacy is so important to most Germans that German executives gener- ally have a “closed-door policy.” Problems arise, as you might imagine, in American firms located in Germany because American executives leave their doors open.
Section 2 Assessment
1. What are symbols?
2. How does language affect culture?
Critical Thinking
3. UnderstandingCauseandEffectDescribesomespecificwaysyou see language affecting social behavior among students in your school.
4. Drawing Conclusions Some experts believe that without language there is no thought. Do you agree? Why or why not?
In Japanese culture an emphasis on politeness has helped people learn to live harmoniously in close quarters.
Student Web Activity
Visit the Sociology and
You Web site at soc.glencoe.com and click on Chapter 3—Student Web Activities for an activity on language.