In this paper I will discuss two different approaches investigating the nature of language and the relation between language and thought: (1) the Sapir-Whorf-hypothesis (also called theory of linguistic relativity) and (2) the metaphor approach of Lakoff and Johnson (1980). Both theories had a major impact on the scientific community when they were published and sparked important research but also major controversy and debate among many scholars. The main reason for their controversial reception was that both theories called into question the very foundation of the dominant view on language and thought, which is still very much alive.
The present paper is divided into six chapters. After this introduction, the second chapter will outline the traditional objectivist view of fixed meaning and metaphor, which is still prevalent in Western societies. In the third chapter I will briefly portray the Sapir-Whorf-hypothesis. The fourth chapter will deal with Lakoff and Johnson's approach to understanding language. In the following chapter, I reflect on both theory complexes, try to apply my theoretical knowledge and point out the similarities and differences of both approaches. Furthermore, I will try to suggest a few ideas around which both approaches could be combined. The sixth chapter is an evaluation.
As already indicated above, the current paper will be shaped by the two central questions: Does language influence or even determine the way we think? How important is the concept of metaphor when investigating the everyday use of language?
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. OBJECTIVISM
3. SAPIR-WHORF-HYPOTHESIS
3.1 SHORT HISTORY
3.1.1 Gottfried Leibniz
3.1.2 Johann Gottfried von Herder
3.1.3 Wilhelm von Humboldt
3.1.4 Franz Boas
3.1.5 Edward Sapir
3.1.6 Benjamin Lee Whorf
3.2 LINGUISTIC RELATIVITY VS. LINGUISTIC DETERMINISM
4. METAPHOR ACCORDING TO LAKOFF AND JOHNSON
4.1 OBJECTIVIST VIEW OF METAPHOR
4.2 LAKOFF AND JOHNSON'S VIEW OF METAPHOR
5. GENERAL DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION
5.1 CRITICISM FROM THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY
5.2 INTEGRATING SAPIR, WHORF, LAKOFF AND JOHNSON'S THEORIES
5.3 UNIVERSAL GRAMMAR
5.4 OVERCOMING LINGUISTIC RELATIVITY IN COMMUNICATION ACROSS CULTURES
5.5 OVERCOMING IDEOLOGY AND MANIPULATION
5.6 SCIENCE
6. EVALUATION OF THE SEMINAR
7. REFERENCES
7.1 PRIMARY SOURCE
7.2 SECONDARY SOURCES
8. INDEX
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper explores the intricate relationship between language, thought, and culture by analyzing two influential, albeit controversial, theoretical frameworks: the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis and the metaphor theory developed by Lakoff and Johnson. The primary objective is to evaluate how these theories challenge the traditional objectivist view of language and to investigate whether they can be synthesized to provide a more nuanced understanding of how humans conceptualize reality.
- The influence of language on habitual thought and perception.
- The role of metaphor in shaping our conceptual systems and everyday reasoning.
- Critiques of the strong version of linguistic determinism versus linguistic relativity.
- The potential for metaphor to overcome ideological manipulation and bridge cross-cultural communication gaps.
- Integration of cognitive approaches with traditional ethnolinguistic theories.
Excerpt from the Book
4.2 Lakoff and Johnson's View of Metaphor
But there is also a very different tradition, albeit less dominant, connected with the notion of metaphor. It claims that metaphor is of central importance for accounting for our world perspectives and the way we think and make sense of reality (Schön, 1979, p. 254).
In this second sense, "metaphor" refers both to a certain kind of product – a perspective or frame, a way of looking at things – and to a certain kind of process – a process by which new perspectives on the world come into existence (Schön, 1979, p. 254).
Two very important proponents of this view are George Lakoff and Mark Johnson. They (1980, p. 57) claim that words do not have fixed meanings and never accurately describe our physical experiences of reality free from social influences: [E]very experience takes place within a vast background of cultural presuppositions. It can be misleading, therefore, to speak of direct physical experience as which we then 'interpret' in terms of our conceptual system. Cultural assumptions, values, and attitudes are not a conceptual overlay which we may or may not place upon experience as we choose. It would be more correct to say that all experience is cultural through and through, that we experience our 'world' in such a way that our culture is already present in the very experience itself.
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: This chapter introduces the study's focus on the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis and the metaphor theory of Lakoff and Johnson, establishing the central research questions regarding the influence of language on thought.
2. OBJECTIVISM: This section outlines the traditional Western philosophical view that language serves as a neutral container for objective, fixed meanings independent of cultural or cognitive constraints.
3. SAPIR-WHORF-HYPOTHESIS: The chapter provides a historical overview of the development of linguistic relativity, tracing its roots from Leibniz and Herder to Boas, Sapir, and Whorf.
4. METAPHOR ACCORDING TO LAKOFF AND JOHNSON: This chapter contrasts the objectivist view of metaphor with the authors' experientialist approach, arguing that metaphor is the fundamental basis of our conceptual system.
5. GENERAL DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION: This chapter synthesizes the two theories, addresses scientific criticism, and reflects on how these perspectives can be applied to communication, ideology, and scientific practice.
6. EVALUATION OF THE SEMINAR: The author evaluates the impact of the seminar on their own academic and personal perspective, emphasizing the shift in how they perceive literal versus metaphorical language.
7. REFERENCES: This section lists the primary and secondary literature cited throughout the paper.
8. INDEX: A comprehensive list of terms, authors, and concepts referenced in the paper.
Keywords
Linguistic Relativity, Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, Metaphor, Lakoff and Johnson, Objectivism, Conceptual System, Framing, Linguistic Determinism, Universal Grammar, Communication, Ideology, Culture, Cognitive Science, Worldview, Semantics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper examines the relationship between language and thought, specifically analyzing the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis and the metaphor theory of George Lakoff and Mark Johnson.
What are the primary themes explored?
The core themes include the impact of language on habitual perception, the metaphorical basis of our conceptual system, the critique of objectivism, and the role of language in ideological framing.
What is the main research question?
The study asks whether language influences or determines our way of thinking and how essential the concept of metaphor is to our investigation of everyday language use.
Which scientific methods are utilized?
The paper employs a comparative and reflective literature analysis, synthesizing historical ethnolinguistic theories with contemporary cognitive and metaphorical perspectives.
What does the main body discuss?
The main body covers the history of linguistic relativity, the critique of the objectivist view of language, the significance of metaphors in shaping concepts like time and emotion, and the practical implications of these theories in translation and political discourse.
Which keywords characterize the work?
The most characterizing keywords are Linguistic Relativity, Metaphor, Conceptual System, Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, and Objectivism.
What does the author conclude about the "conduit metaphor"?
The author argues that the conduit metaphor is a flawed description of reality that incorrectly treats language as a fixed container, ignoring the role of cultural and cognitive input in meaning-making.
How does the paper relate metaphor to ideology?
It discusses "framing" as a political tool, where metaphors are used to align people with specific worldviews, effectively "brainwashing" or manipulating the public by presenting ideological viewpoints as natural truths.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Christoph Burger (Autor:in), 2010, Metaphor and the Sapir-Whorf-Hypothesis, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/146603
