The Influence of language on thought: The difference between Thai and Japanese Languages

Authors

  • Chutichol Aemdit นิสิตปริญญาเอก สาขาวิชาภาษาศาสตร์ จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย

Keywords:

Linguistic relativity, tense, cognition

Abstract

Language and cognition or thought are intimately related. The linguistic relativity hypothesis claims that language influences speakers’ thought. Thus, speakers of different languages tend to think differently. In contrast, speakers of similar languages tend to think in similar ways. The present study aims to analyze the relationship between language and thought about “time” of Japanese and Thai speakers. Japanese language carries tense-related inflections, whereas Thai language does not. If language influences thought, the tense system should affect time awareness in Japanese speakers. The study reveals that Japanese speakers pay more attention to time and also memorize time better than Thai speakers.

References

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