What did Whorf claim about the Hopi language?

Whorf claimed the Hopi language has no words for time as a flowing sequence. Whorf argued Hopi speakers therefore think about time differently from English speakers.

Why has Whorf's claim about the Hopi been criticised?

Later research found that the Hopi language does have ways of expressing time. Whorf's evidence was based on limited contact with Hopi speakers.

What was claimed about Inuit words for snow, and why is it weak evidence?

The claim is that Inuit languages have many words for snow, so speakers perceive snow in finer detail. The number of words was exaggerated, and English can also describe many kinds of snow.

Edexcel GCSE Psychology 1PS0

Development

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Language, Thought and Communication

Linguistic relativism and determinism

3 things to know
Paper 2

Overview

The Sapir–Whorf hypothesis, linguistic determinism and relativism, and the evidence from the Hopi, Inuit snow words, the Dani, the Berinmo and the Pirahã.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What is the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis?

Key term

What is linguistic determinism?

Key term

What is linguistic relativism?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What is the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis?
Model answer
The Sapir–Whorf hypothesis proposes that the language a person speaks affects how they think. The hypothesis has a strong version and a weak version.
2
What is linguistic determinism?
Model answer
Linguistic determinism is the strong claim that language determines thought. People cannot think about ideas for which their language has no words.
3
What is linguistic relativism?
Model answer
Linguistic relativism is the weaker claim that language influences thought. Speakers of different languages may find some ideas easier to think about than others.
4
What did Whorf claim about the Hopi language?
Model answer
Whorf claimed the Hopi language has no words for time as a flowing sequence. Whorf argued Hopi speakers therefore think about time differently from English speakers.
5
Why has Whorf's claim about the Hopi been criticised?
Model answer
Later research found that the Hopi language does have ways of expressing time. Whorf's evidence was based on limited contact with Hopi speakers.
6
What was claimed about Inuit words for snow, and why is it weak evidence?
Model answer
The claim is that Inuit languages have many words for snow, so speakers perceive snow in finer detail. The number of words was exaggerated, and English can also describe many kinds of snow.

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