The Effect of Language
Posted on May 28, 2006 in Asides
(last edited on April 29, 2014 at 1:28 am)
(last edited on April 29, 2014 at 1:28 am)
I sometimes wonder how one’s language effects the way one thinks. This article about German compared to English humor gave me some insight.
1 Comment
The British comedian Stephen Fry had a sketch about whether the didactic quality of German allowed for the rise of Fascism more easily than in England because of the inherent ironical tone of English.
I wonder about language too—if words are, to paraphrase James Baldwin, translations of translations even when speaking the same language then is it ever possible to truly think in a language you did not learn as a child.
——-