If we change the language of a culture, can we change the actions of a culture?

Question

Can words be more than just words?

Answer 1

A bagpiper could bet his best-pleated kilt on it. As Terrence McKenna taught us, the universe is made of language. Human beings are information processors. Information is necessarily embodied in language.

Information is also transmitted in language. Human beings are social creatures, we thrive on the exchange of information. Words not only can be more than words, they are and always have been, it is just that modern society has forgotten their magic.

If it were possible to change the language, we could enhance our culture, drive our collective cognitive capacity to ever-increasing heights, and it would be truly...the ultimate Gift of Gab.

Answer 2

yes.
words are powerful and symbolism is extremely important in a culture. I think much of what English speaking countries has accomplished is because of language. English is a very precise language and allows for better communication regarding technical data. Thus I think its possible for language to help or hinder a culture.

Answer 3

Linguistics and sociolinguistics are some of my favourite subjects.

You possibly have hit on something that is very important to understand about human consciousness and the lives that we lead -- individually and collectively.

A culture without words like "anger", "revenge", "jealousy", etc. is a culture that will not act in aggressive and violent ways.

Answer 4

i think language is a much more powerful force in our culture than most would imagine...beliefs , core beliefs, are what we base our decisions on and beliefs are very much influenced by the language as we're growing up...such as the constant reference to god as 'he' and 'him' when any reasonable person, if they stop to think of it would probably agree more than not that an all powerful, all knowing, etc. god would more than likely encompass both genders if that god had a gender at all!...and the language we here every day affects us on a very subliminal level, we generally don't notice.....i've been noticing subtle changes in the language used by the administration......but that's another catagory i guess....

Answer 5

I like your question and I would like to answer this without quoting research.

I can cite the experience of my country the Philippines where English was used as the medium of instruction for a long long time. After gaining independence from America, the Philippines slowly tried to regain its own nationalistic fervor. English continued to be the medium of instruction but students who learned in English slowly opened their eyes to their own true history.

It was only when more and more Filipinos became aware of their own history that they started to separate Filipino culture from "Western'' culture and writers, poets, artists, journalists did that using English as their language.

Singpore for example has 3 distinct culture: Malay, Chinese and Indian. Yet its government is promoting English as the medium of instruction as a means of unifying everyone towards a common goal of global competitiveness and national unity. Yet the three races in Singapore are very distinct and well preserved!

My conclusion: Language evolved from culture but it is only a tool to propagate that culture. If we remain in contact with our true history as a nation and recognize ourselves as Filipinos with a distinct culture, we can unite even if we all use a foreign language, as long as that language is effective in conveying the right ideas and as long as we still continue to love and preserve our native tongue.

It is well known that English spoken in England has shades of differences from that spoken in the US and in Australia. English spoken by Filipinos will be different from that spoken by Singaporeans. In other words, when language is used by a culture, that culture will adapt this language to suit its needs.

So with the world now getting smaller and cultures becoming enriched with global experience, it is not a good idea to be rigid with language because language is never rigid. Language adopts to culture, not vice versa.

Answer 6

Words are just words though words can hurt the worst & hurt the longest. Actions speak louder than words.

Answer 7

I agree that words ARE more than just "words" (sounds, etc.) and that they carry "cultural programming" just like many other things do; i.e., rituals, ceremonies, etc.

Here's something that most people don't know about:

http://web.archive.org/web/20000817193159/www.bigtable.com/primer/0013b.html

Also make sure you check out "the cut up machine" as well.

Regards,

Answer 8

Yes, and yes.

Answer 9

No, it will backfire on you.