Does Language Constrain Our Thinking? Would We Perceive a Completely Different World If We Used a Radically Different Language? (Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis)

Okay, let's dive into this fascinating topic. It's not something that can be summed up in a few words, but we can break it down and discuss it thoroughly in plain language.

Does Language Limit Our Thinking? Would Using a Completely Different Language Show Us a Completely Different World?

Hey, this is a super interesting question and a major, long-debated topic in linguistics and psychology. What you mentioned, the "Sapir-Whorf hypothesis," specifically explores this.

Simply put, this hypothesis has two versions: a "Strong Version" and a "Mild Version."

Strong Version: Language as a "Prison" for Thought (Linguistic Determinism)

This version is very radical. It argues that language completely determines our thinking. If your language lacks a word for something, you cannot form the corresponding concept. Your thoughts are firmly "locked in" by your native language.

For example: If a language has no word for "time," speakers of that language would be completely unable to understand the concept of time. They would live in an "eternal present."

But honestly, this "Strong Version" is largely rejected by academia today. Why? Because it's too absolute. We have ample evidence showing that even if a language lacks a specific word, people can still understand and express that concept through other means. For instance, many languages might not have a dedicated word for "privacy," but that doesn't mean they lack the idea of "not wanting others to interfere in their affairs." Moreover, we can all learn new languages and encounter new ideas, which itself proves our thinking isn't "locked in" by our native language.

So, viewing language as an inescapable prison is a bit too exaggerated.

Mild Version: Language as a "Filter" for Thought (Linguistic Relativity)

This version is much milder and more persuasive, and it's the view currently accepted by most scholars. It holds that language influences and even shapes our way of thinking, but does not absolutely determine it.

How to understand this? Think of language as a pair of tinted glasses.

We all live in the same physical world, but speakers of different languages wear glasses of different "colors." These glasses make it easier for us to notice certain things while overlooking others. They don't show us a "completely different" world, but they make the world we see have different focal points and hues.

Let's look at some classic examples to make this clear

1. The Color Example: Russian "Blues"

In Chinese, we say "蓝色" (lán sè, blue), encompassing dark blue, light blue, sky blue – all are "blue."
But in Russian, light blue (голубой, goluboy) and dark blue (синий, siniy) are two completely different words, just like "red" and "pink" in Chinese – they are distinct basic colors.
Experiments found: When Russian speakers and English speakers were asked to distinguish between two very similar shades of blue, Russian speakers were faster. Why? Because in their minds, these are fundamentally two different things, so recognition is naturally quicker. English speakers (and similarly, Chinese speakers) need a little extra time to judge, "Hmm, these two blues have different shades."

You see, the linguistic categorization influences their acuity in color perception.

2. The Space and Direction Example: The People Without "Left" or "Right"

There's an Aboriginal tribe in Australia called the Kuuk Thaayorre. Their language lacks words for relative directions like "left," "right," "front," or "back."
So how do they describe direction? They use only absolute cardinal directions: "east," "south," "west," "north."
They would say: "There's an ant on your southern cheek," or "Please pass the salt a bit to the west."
The result is: People in this tribe, regardless of age or gender, have an incredibly strong sense of direction, like having a built-in compass in their minds. Their sensitivity to direction is unimaginable to those of us who use "left" and "right."

Their language shapes a completely different perception and cognitive habit regarding space.

3. The Example of Grammatical Gender for Objects

In German, "bridge" is feminine (die Brücke); in Spanish, "bridge" is masculine (el puente).
Researchers asked German and Spanish speakers to describe a "bridge" using adjectives.
The results were fascinating: German speakers tended to use more feminine-associated words like "beautiful, elegant, slender"; Spanish speakers preferred more masculine-associated words like "strong, sturdy, majestic."

It's the exact same object, but because the language assigns it a different "gender," people's associations and feelings towards it show subtle differences.

So, Do We Ultimately See a "Completely Different" World?

After all this discussion, let's return to the original question.

The answer likely lies somewhere between "yes" and "no."

Saying "no" is because the world we see is physically the same. A tree is a tree, a river is a river. We all experience joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness; we all need to eat and sleep. Basic human physiological and emotional experiences are universal.
Saying "yes" is because language shapes how we experience and interpret this world. It's like a "thinking operating system" we've used since childhood, classifying, labeling, and establishing connections for everything we see and hear.

You can think of language as a camera lens. The world is still the same world, but whether you use a wide-angle lens, a telephoto lens, or a macro lens, the resulting photo will emphasize completely different aspects and evoke different feelings.

English speakers might be more accustomed to subject-driven sentences like "I broke the vase," focusing more on "who did it."
Japanese or Spanish speakers might say "The vase broke," tending to describe the result of the event itself while downplaying the agent. This can also subtly influence their views on "responsibility" and "accident."

To Summarize

Therefore, language is not a prison that locks you in; it's more like a thinking toolkit and cognitive filter you've used since childhood.

It doesn't show you a fictional world, but it profoundly influences your focus of attention, categorization methods, memory patterns, and emotional associations regarding the real world. From this perspective, learning a completely new language isn't just about gaining an additional communication skill; it's also, in a way, installing a new "thinking operating system" for yourself. It allows you to re-examine and experience this world we've long taken for granted from a brand-new perspective.