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CT's picture

Language does shape thought

Submitted by CT on Tue, 02/27/2007 - 8:07am.

I am not sure if I agree with your point on language, that "the language we use relates to "universal" concepts that everyone has, whether or not they can articulate them".

Having grown up bilingual, there are definite sentiments that I can't express in both languages, despite being familiar with both of them.

I don't think that it is necessarily impossible for someone to learn either language and learn these new ways of nuances of expression. But language is such a cultural phenomena and shapes the way we think in at least degree. Therefore I would argue that the strategy of eliminating certain strains of language in 1984 is a logical way to shape the way people think.

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