September's Blog Post

The topic I am going to do this blog post on is the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis. This hypothesis states that the way we shape our language and the way we say things influences our way of thinking and how our culture acts with one another as a whole. Depending on how you choose to make a statement, shows your experiences, views, knowledge, etc. For example, my dad used to call my phone, or laptop a "little black box." He referred to these items in this way because he wasn't acquainted with technology and did not care to learn the names at the time. However, as time passed and he got a smart phone (which he is on WAY more than I am), he now refers to it as a cell phone. It became a part of his world, and knowledge. Another example is racial slurs. A person who uses the "n" word and is not a person of color, is probably using it to distastefully talk about or to someone who is. The way they're forming their language has now shown a piece of their character, it's shaped the way people around them view them and interact with them. This concept is important to understand because it will help improve relationships and avoid misunderstandings by opening our thoughts to other's different experiences and why they might use the language that they do. There have been more times than I can count that the way I've said something has offended someone else, but is normal to me because of where I came from and the group of people I hang around with.