Sapir-Whorf hypothesis

In linguistics, the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis (SWH) states that there is a systematic relationship between the grammatical categories of the language a person speaks and how that person both understands the world and behaves in it. This controversial hypothesis is named after the linguist and anthropologist Edward Sapir and his colleague and student Benjamin Whorf.

Fictional exploration of linguistic determinism and linguistic relativity

George Orwell's classic novel Nineteen Eighty-Four is a striking example of linguistic determinism and linguistic relativity in fiction, in which a language known as Newspeak has trimmed and supplanted Modern English. In this case, Orwell says that if humans cannot form the words to express a revolution, then they cannot revolt. All of the theory of Newspeak is aimed at eliminating such words. For example, bad has been replaced by ungood, and free has been eliminated over time.

Related Topics:
George Orwell - Novel - Nineteen Eighty-Four - Fiction - Newspeak - Modern English - Revolution - Bad - Free

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In Frank Herbert's science fiction novel Dune and its sequels,

Related Topics:
Frank Herbert - Science fiction - Dune

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the Principle of Linguistic Relativity first appears when a character (Jessica Atreides) with extensive linguistic training encounters a foreign tribe (the Fremen). She is shocked by the "violence" of their language, as she believes their word choices and language structure reflect a culture of enormous violence.

Related Topics:
Jessica Atreides - Fremen - Violence

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Samuel R. Delany's novel Babel-17 is centered around a fictional language that denies its speakers independent thought, forcing them to think purely logical thoughts. This language is used as a weapon of war, because it is supposed to convert everyone who learns it to a traitor. In the novel, the language Babel-17 is likened to computer programming languages that do not allow errors or imprecise statements.

Related Topics:
Samuel R. Delany - Babel-17

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Neal Stephenson's novel Snow Crash revolves around the notion that the Sumerian language was a programming language for the human brain. According to characters in the book, the goddess Asherah is the personification of a linguistic virus similar to a computer virus. The god Enki created a counter program or nam-shub that caused all of humanity to speak different tongues as a protection against Asherah.

Related Topics:
Neal Stephenson - Snow Crash - Sumerian - Asherah - Computer virus - God - Enki - Program - Nam-shub - Tongues

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