PSY 357 Exam 2 GVSU| Grand Valley State University|
New edi on
Understand how the assump ons made by Orwell in 1984 illustrate the concept of linguis c
determinism.
The words that are available to us will determine how we think. If these words go away, we
won't have those thoughts. Linguis c determinism is the concept that language and its
structures limit and determine human knowledge or thought, as well as thought processes such
as categoriza on, memory, and percep on.
How many words do Eskimos have for snow, according to Whorf? How many words to
Eskimos have for snow, according to Pullum? Is it truly different than the number of words that
any other culture has for snow?
Whorf believes there are at least 7 different words for snow that Eskimos use.
Pullum believes that there are 2 different words for snow that Eskimos use.
It is not truly different than what other cultures have for snow. In fact, English may have more
words than Eskmos do, such as snow, slush, sleet, blizzard, etc. Pullum suggests that this is the
case because Eskimos expect snow to be their background. Even beach bums, Pullum says, only
have one word for sand.
What sequence of events led to so many reputable sources being wrong about the number of
Eskimo words for snow? What role did Whorf himself play in this sequence? What have been
the
consequences of this sequence of events, in terms of common cultural (mis)understandings
about
the facts of this phenomenon?
According to Laura Mar n:
People are very apt to believe anything about other cultures that are unfamiliar, so it is not
surprising that the rumor con nues.
Franz Boas started the rumor by likening the mul tude of words to using the same root in
English for various forms of water.
Then, Benjamin Whorf made bold claims that Eskimos have far many more words for snow than
English does and he inflated Boas' number from four to seven.
, This claim was reprinted many mes.
It ended up being refuted by Roger Brown who said there are only three words for snow (even
tho his claim is misguided according to Pullum, perhaps because he read the report wrong).
Carol Eastman- there are many words. False reports then con nued.
Mar n documents 9-200 words. Pullum says that it is an unpopular opinion to say the truth
now with all of this false info.
Know in detail how each of these supports or does not support the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis:
__a) Whorf's observa on that Eskimos have many words for snow
Doesn't support the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis because they don't actually have more words than
in English for snow. He does not discuss an enriched knowledge about snow, which should be
present if the Inuit popula on has all of these other words for snow, making their "snow
thought" more intense and knowledgeable as a popula on.
_3) Know in detail how each of these supports or does not support the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis:
__b) Rosch's color categoriza on study
This study does not support the weak version of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. This is because
light or dark is perceived equally.
__3) Know in detail how each of these supports or does not support the Sapir-Whorf
hypothesis: __c) The English/Chinese bilingual categoriza on study (with cows, chickens, grass)
Supports the weak version of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. This is because the categoriza on
depended on the language used/culture based on.
__3) Know in detail how each of these supports or does not support the Sapir-Whorf
hypothesis: __d) Roberson et al.'s color categoriza on study
Roberson et al.'s color categoriza on study supports the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis as Britons
could dis nguish beDer than the Berinmo tribe between green and blue (think of the tree thing
we did in class)
Understand how each of the following provide evidence on the issue of language and thought.
What
version of what hypothesis is supported and/or refuted?
__a) the video we watched in class about the sea lion Rio
Rio had numbers and leDers. If language is required for thought, the animal wouldn't have been
able to decide (think) of which symbol was a leDer an which was a number due to its lack of
language. Since Rio could, we have proof that animals do think. Strongest form of linguis c
determinism not true.
New edi on
Understand how the assump ons made by Orwell in 1984 illustrate the concept of linguis c
determinism.
The words that are available to us will determine how we think. If these words go away, we
won't have those thoughts. Linguis c determinism is the concept that language and its
structures limit and determine human knowledge or thought, as well as thought processes such
as categoriza on, memory, and percep on.
How many words do Eskimos have for snow, according to Whorf? How many words to
Eskimos have for snow, according to Pullum? Is it truly different than the number of words that
any other culture has for snow?
Whorf believes there are at least 7 different words for snow that Eskimos use.
Pullum believes that there are 2 different words for snow that Eskimos use.
It is not truly different than what other cultures have for snow. In fact, English may have more
words than Eskmos do, such as snow, slush, sleet, blizzard, etc. Pullum suggests that this is the
case because Eskimos expect snow to be their background. Even beach bums, Pullum says, only
have one word for sand.
What sequence of events led to so many reputable sources being wrong about the number of
Eskimo words for snow? What role did Whorf himself play in this sequence? What have been
the
consequences of this sequence of events, in terms of common cultural (mis)understandings
about
the facts of this phenomenon?
According to Laura Mar n:
People are very apt to believe anything about other cultures that are unfamiliar, so it is not
surprising that the rumor con nues.
Franz Boas started the rumor by likening the mul tude of words to using the same root in
English for various forms of water.
Then, Benjamin Whorf made bold claims that Eskimos have far many more words for snow than
English does and he inflated Boas' number from four to seven.
, This claim was reprinted many mes.
It ended up being refuted by Roger Brown who said there are only three words for snow (even
tho his claim is misguided according to Pullum, perhaps because he read the report wrong).
Carol Eastman- there are many words. False reports then con nued.
Mar n documents 9-200 words. Pullum says that it is an unpopular opinion to say the truth
now with all of this false info.
Know in detail how each of these supports or does not support the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis:
__a) Whorf's observa on that Eskimos have many words for snow
Doesn't support the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis because they don't actually have more words than
in English for snow. He does not discuss an enriched knowledge about snow, which should be
present if the Inuit popula on has all of these other words for snow, making their "snow
thought" more intense and knowledgeable as a popula on.
_3) Know in detail how each of these supports or does not support the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis:
__b) Rosch's color categoriza on study
This study does not support the weak version of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. This is because
light or dark is perceived equally.
__3) Know in detail how each of these supports or does not support the Sapir-Whorf
hypothesis: __c) The English/Chinese bilingual categoriza on study (with cows, chickens, grass)
Supports the weak version of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. This is because the categoriza on
depended on the language used/culture based on.
__3) Know in detail how each of these supports or does not support the Sapir-Whorf
hypothesis: __d) Roberson et al.'s color categoriza on study
Roberson et al.'s color categoriza on study supports the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis as Britons
could dis nguish beDer than the Berinmo tribe between green and blue (think of the tree thing
we did in class)
Understand how each of the following provide evidence on the issue of language and thought.
What
version of what hypothesis is supported and/or refuted?
__a) the video we watched in class about the sea lion Rio
Rio had numbers and leDers. If language is required for thought, the animal wouldn't have been
able to decide (think) of which symbol was a leDer an which was a number due to its lack of
language. Since Rio could, we have proof that animals do think. Strongest form of linguis c
determinism not true.
