Language Matters
We make sense of the world through language 语言yǔ yán.
语言yǔ yán is the medium through which we pass on most knowledge and values, and it also creates knowledge. Therefore the 语言 we speak may shape the way we think or reinforce emotions or memories.
“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.”
There are about 7,000 languages spoken around the world -- and they all have different sounds, vocabularies and structures. But do they shape the way we think? Cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky shares examples of language -- from an Aboriginal community in Australia that uses cardinal directions instead of left and right to the multiple words for blue in Russian -- that suggest the answer is a resounding yes.
Imagine a jellyfish waltzing in a library while thinking about quantum mechanics.
How does language shape the way we think? Cognitive Scientist Lera Boroditsky explains.
Language is not merely a tool, ... it is our legacy, it's our way of conveying what it means to be human.
Dothraki and Valyrian from GoT
There are at least 11 languages spoken in the Game of Thrones world.
What if the whole world used the same writing system? Subscribe to BBC Ideas https://bbc.in/2F6ipav This video was made by Angel Sharp Media. Do you have a curious mind? You're in the right place. Our aim on BBC Ideas is to feed your curiosity, to open your mind to new perspectives, and to leave you that little bit smarter.