tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702979832958194522.post181888578242732318..comments2023-05-28T03:59:34.833-05:00Comments on Open Wide the World: Does Language Precede Thought? - Gender EditionAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01838323025840477873noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702979832958194522.post-88419558411196802702014-04-13T18:43:43.839-05:002014-04-13T18:43:43.839-05:00Yes, the gender idea is difficult to fully grasp a...Yes, the gender idea is difficult to fully grasp as Anglophones, but it does make you wonder how many other cultural and linguistic paradigms affect our perception of words, without us realizing it. Fascinating stuff! So glad you stopped by, Frau Leonard!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01838323025840477873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702979832958194522.post-79548913209626281042014-04-13T11:50:20.494-05:002014-04-13T11:50:20.494-05:00Definitely interesting - as an English speaker, it...Definitely interesting - as an English speaker, it's hard to understand just how much the idea of noun "gender" influences one's perception of words. Ashleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06012190298925718878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702979832958194522.post-11821516838247485922014-03-28T11:26:27.495-05:002014-03-28T11:26:27.495-05:00Yes, it would be fascinating to see if the two gro...Yes, it would be fascinating to see if the two groups would describe a bridge differently when looking at a picture of one, I agree. But I think that would be looking at an entirely different question, something like "does language affect cognitive-visual perception?" <br /><br />On the other hand, I like how this particular study eliminates the shared visual referent, and just finds what comes to mind upon the hearing of the word. Unless Spanish-speakers have only ever seen bridges that are "dangerous, long, and towering" and German-speakers have only ever seen bridges that are "fragile, pretty, and slender," there is something beyond just a lack of shared visual referent causing the two groups to choose such different adjectives. Gender assignment seems a likely candidate, although clearly more study would be needed to safely build on that conclusion.<br /><br />Thanks for initiating discussion. Lots of food for thought for the day!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01838323025840477873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2702979832958194522.post-49926191087291074962014-03-28T05:41:29.178-05:002014-03-28T05:41:29.178-05:00This is very interesting. But I think there is mor...This is very interesting. But I think there is more. It also has to do with the signifiant and signifié (cfr. De Saussure): the Spanish speaker doesn't have the same reference in mind (signifié) when talking about key as the German one. The same applies to the bridges. This kind of study should be made with offering the test person an image of an object and then describe it with adjectives...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com