首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
Linguists have understood for decades that language and thought are closely related. Humans construct reality using thought and
Linguists have understood for decades that language and thought are closely related. Humans construct reality using thought and
admin
2014-03-02
23
问题
Linguists have understood for decades that language and thought are closely related. Humans construct reality using thought and express these thoughts through the use of language. Edward Sapir and his student Benjamin Whorf are credited with developing the most relevant explanation outlining the relationship between thought and language, the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis. The hypothesis consists of two parts, linguistic relativity and linguistic determinism. Supporters of linguistic relativity assume that culture is shaped by language. Terwilliger defines linguistic determinism as the process by which "the functions of one’s mind are determined by the nature of the language which one speaks." In simpler terms, the thoughts that we construct are based upon the language that we speak and the words that we use. In its strongest sense, linguistic determinism can be interpreted as meaning that language determines thought. In its weakest sense, language partially influences thought. Whorf was careful to avoid authoritative statements which would permanently commit him to particular position.
Because of the broad nature of his statements, it is difficult to distinguish exactly to what extent Whorl Believes that language determines thought. Heated debate among modem linguists demonstrates that disagreement exists about the accuracy and correctness of Whorf’s studies and of the actual level of influence of language on thought processes.
The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis essentially consists of two distinct statements connecting the relation of thought and language. Whorf believes that humans may be able to think only about objects, processes, and conditions that have language associated with them. The Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis also explains the relationship between different languages (French, English, German, Chinese, and so on)and thought. Whorf demonstrated that culture is largely determined by language. Different cultures perceive the world in different ways. Culturally essential objects, conditions and processes usually are defined by a plethora of words, while things that cultures perceive as unimportant are usually assigned one or two words. Whorf developed this theory while studying the Hopi Indian tribe. Whorf was amazed that the Hopi language has no words for past, present, and future. The Hopi have only one word for flying objects. A dragonfly, an airplane, and a pilot are defined using the same word. Whorf questioned whether or not the Hopi view the world differently than western peoples. After hither interpretation and analysis he concluded that the Hopi have a sense for the continuum of time despite having no words to specifically describe past, present, and future.
It is commonly believed that the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis possesses some truth, but the extent to which it is applicable to all situations is questioned. Linguists generally support a "strong" or a "weak" interpretation. Linguists who study the hypothesis tend to cite examples that support their beliefs but are unable or unwilling to refute the opposing arguments. Examples exist that strengthen the arguments of ev0eryone who studies the hypothesis. Nobody has gained significant ground in proving or refuting the hypothesis because the definitions of Sapir and Whorl are very vague and incomplete, leaving room for a significant amount of interpretation.
Towards the hypothesis, the author’s attitude seems to be ______.
选项
A、supportive
B、objective
C、suspicions
D、critical
答案
B
解析
因为在整篇文章中,我们仅从作者客观介绍Sapir-Whorf假设的相关段落获得了一些信息,并未发现作者是否对该假说持怀疑、批评或支持的观点。所以答案为B。
转载请注明原文地址:https://kaotiyun.com/show/1CQO777K
0
考博英语
相关试题推荐
Sleepisanimportantpartofourlives.Wespendaboutone-thirdofourlivessleeping.Formillionsofpeople,【51】,gettingen
"Interculturalcommunication"iscommunication【51】membersofdifferentcultures.Thisdefinitionissimple,【52】theprocessisco
"Interculturalcommunication"iscommunication【51】membersofdifferentcultures.Thisdefinitionissimple,【52】theprocessisco
"Interculturalcommunication"iscommunication【51】membersofdifferentcultures.Thisdefinitionissimple,【52】theprocessisco
"Interculturalcommunication"iscommunication【51】membersofdifferentcultures.Thisdefinitionissimple,【52】theprocessisco
"Interculturalcommunication"iscommunication【51】membersofdifferentcultures.Thisdefinitionissimple,【52】theprocessisco
Overthepasttwodecades,teenagechildbearingintheUnitedStates—asmeasuredbythenumberofbirthstoteenagers—hasdecrea
ThecharacterofEuropeaneducationdemandsthatthestudentdevelop【C1】______andsocialindividuality.TheAmericanstudentis
Despitedecadesofscientificresearch,nooneyetknowshowmuchdamagehumanactivityisdoingtotheenvironment.Humansare
随机试题
急性胰腺炎发病的基本条件为_______。
蛋白质的空间构象主要取决于
某女性患者,因左舌下腺囊肿(口外型)于门诊行左舌下腺及囊肿摘除术,术后第二天左颌下区发生肿胀,且进食时明显。最可能的原因是()
关于微生物的叙述不正确的是
女性,50岁。10天前做胆道手术。近2日来时有突然寒战,体温38~39℃。间歇期体温接近正常。查血常规示白细胞8.5×109/L,中性0.70。血培养阳性。考虑为
下列关于工程项目范围定义的表述,正确的是()。
从共享交通工具到共享住宿、餐饮、护理,共享经济在飞速扩展的同时,也出现了个人信息泄漏、资源浪费、不公平竞争等问题。近日,国家发改委办公厅、中央网信办秘书局与工业和信息化部办公厅联合印发《关于做好引导和规范共享经济健康良性发展有关工作的通知》,强调要审慎出台
美国麻省理工学院的罗伦兹教授用计算机模拟天气预报实验时,发现了一个令人惊讶的现象。他使用同台计算机和相同的计算程序,仅仅是第二次输入数据时四舍五入了小数点后的一个小数值,其结果却大相径庭,令罗伦兹教授目瞪口呆:一个是晴空万里,一个是倾盆大雨。这种细微的误差
Questions29-40•Readtheinformationaboutthecommunicationofinformationinbusiness.•Choosethecorrectwordtofi
Although________happenedinthatdevelopedcountrysoundslikesciencefiction,itcouldoccurelsewhereintheworld.
最新回复
(
0
)