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Re: Language and mind
Frank Schaap (fts@xs4all.nl)
Sat, 28 Dec 1996 01:02:10 GMT
On Sun, 22 Dec 1996 14:11:43 +0100, Gustav S|derlind
<gs@haddock.cd.chalmers.se> wrote:
>Has there been any study on how the buildup of a language influenses how
>its users think and the kind of culture they therefore create and act
>by?
>Take for instance the Belgians, where tho people with two languages
>coexist, the Flemmish (Dutch) and Valonians (French).
>Despite their common religion (katholisism, the dutch in the netherlands
>are protestant) their cultures and attitudes are very separate.
>
>
>Gustav Soderlind
>
>[The nose doesn't cause the tail.
>Frank Herbert]
indeed, Whorf... you might think about reading Edward Sapir too. then
there is a really good book by Emily A. Schultz, "Dialogue at the
Margins. Whorf, Bakhtin and Linguistic Relativity." University of
Wisconsin Press, 1990. this book also has a load of related
bibliographic material.
uhm, on a slightly different note, but very interesting and related to
the question of the relation of language and culture, you might have a
look at Stephen A. Tyler, "The Unspeakable" (University of Wisconsin
Press, 1986 i believe...) or an earlier more linguistic work "The Said
and the Unsaid" Academic Press, 1978.
oh, and as a born and raised Dutchman :) i can assure you that the
prostestant/catholic (if we use such a crude) division is somewhere
around 50/50 or maybe 60/40. but with the endless diversification and
split-offs and new religions around that hardly seems to matter.
besides the number of ppl that is actively involved in religion seems
to be dwindling...
religion and especially religion in my own country (i have to admit)
are not my specialty, so if someone has better information, please do
add/correct :)
Frank
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