How language shapes the way we think


February 20, 2021


Quote of the Week

"A language is not just words. It's a culture, a tradition, a unification of a community, a whole history that creates what a community is. It's all embodied in a language." - Noam Chomsky

How Language Shapes The Way We Think

There are about 7,000 languages spoken around the world -- and they all have different sounds, vocabularies and structures. So how does a language shape the way we think?

In this video, cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky shares about the beauty of linguistic diversity which reveals to us just how ingenious and flexible the human mind is. [Watch Here]

Reading Corner

Title: How Do You Say I Love You?
By: Hannah Eliot
Age: 2+

Learn how to say “I love you” in ten different languages with this heartwarming board book. “I love you” may sound different around the world, but the meaning is the same. From China, to France, to Russia, to Brazil, and beyond, this charming board book features “I love you” in ten different languages. Tapping into the emotions that parents feel for their children, the rhyming text is accompanied by sweet artwork that depicts different cultures around the world.

Be the Change

Connect with child or a teenager who knows a language that you don't and ask him/her to share some inspiring words or sentences in that language. Try to speak a few of them :) and reflect on what came up in this interaction.