logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2018
14m 17s

How language shapes the way we think | L...

TED
About this episode
There are about 7,000 languages spoken around the world -- and they all have different sounds, vocabularies and structures. But do they shape the way we think? Cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky shares examples of language -- from an Aboriginal community in Australia that uses cardinal directions instead of left and right to the multiple words for blue in Russian -- that suggest the answer is a resounding yes. "The beauty of linguistic diversity is that it reveals to us just how ingenious and how flexible the human mind is," Boroditsky says. "Human minds have invented not one cognitive universe, but 7,000."

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Yesterday
The hidden cost of buying gold | Claudia Vega
Gold may glitter, but the hidden cost of mining it is devastating. Amazon researcher and TED Fellow Claudia Vega exposes how mercury pollution from artisanal gold mining poisons local communities and destroys rainforests — and shows why protecting the planet is far more valuable ... Show More
33m 25s
Oct 9
How we’re turning pollution into toys, toothpaste and more | Xu Hao
It took alcohol 200 years to go from scientific discovery to industrial revolution, but tech innovator Xu Hao says we can’t afford to wait that long to tackle the climate crisis. He explores why most climate solutions are still stuck in labs — despite breakthrough science that ca ... Show More
14m 22s
Oct 8
The best thing that could happen to the energy industry | Matt Tilleard
History has been written by whoever controls the dominant fuel of the era — until now, says renewables entrepreneur Matt Tilleard. He explains why, as the clean energy transition ramps up, we’re moving from a world where energy comes from burning fuels to one where it will come f ... Show More
13m 51s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2023
Ep28 "Does your language shape your thinking?"
Are there really dozens of words for snow in northern cultures? What did the movie Arrival have to do with language and cognition? Why are Russians better than Americans at distinguishing certain shades of blue? And what does any of this have to do with space, time, gender, and h ... Show More
33m 39s
Feb 2022
The Invisible Influence of Language — with Lera Boroditsky
One of the oldest technologies we have is language. How do the words we use influence the way we think?The media can talk about immigrants scurrying across the border, versus immigrants crossing the border. Or we might hear about technology platforms censoring us, versus moderati ... Show More
40m 19s
May 2021
79. What is the strangest language in the world? (English Vocabulary Lesson)
What is the strangest language in the world? Many linguists believe that all languages share certain universal rules and features. They believe that humans have innate or natural grammar that we are born with. However, there is a language from South America which is so strange an ... Show More
19m 37s
Oct 2021
167. Is the Loss of a Language Important?
Every year several languages die out. Some people think that this is not important because life will be easier if there are fewer languages in the world. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?   a number of   become extinct  is lost the death of a language  th ... Show More
4m 58s
Apr 2023
Valerie Fridland: The Amazing and Um, Complex World of Linguistics
Have you ever thought about how language shapes our world? Linguistics expert Valerie Fridland breaks down the complexities of language and reveals how it reflects our identity and culture. Listen to her insights on Remarkable People podcast now.See Privacy Policy at https://art1 ... Show More
1h 33m
Nov 2020
Destroying language myths (with Shana Poplack)
It’s an unfortunate fact that many people don’t know the truth about how language works outside of their grammar books, in the real world, but recently I spoke to someone who is trying to change that. Shana Poplack and her sociolinguistics laboratory at the University of Ottawa a ... Show More
57m 59s
Apr 2022
How Language Lights Up the Brain
Language allows us to connect with people from around the world. It opens our minds and hearts to new experiences and different ways of life. But learning a new language can be really difficult, so how did we do it as children? And are our adult brains even cut out for learning n ... Show More
27m 8s