• Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

The extent and type of our language defines our knowledge of the world. Do you agree?

Extracts from this document...


'The extent and type of our language defines our knowledge of the world.' Do you agree? Language is defined by the OED as the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way. It is therefore an important way of expression, communication, interaction and also understanding. When we want to understand a concept we usually use our language, and we use the words that we know in order to understand the concept. Generally we try to explain things with our own words and this happens because it is our language what gives us the definitions of what we want to know. However, it is known that most languages have different words for the same concepts. A concept does not change depending on the way it is named. What could change is the perception of the speakers and their way of thinking. This is what I am going to investigate in this essay. ...read more.


We would not be able to know something just because of how it is called. What gives us the knowledge is what we experience or what we have understood. We would still know about something if we have no words for it and we would remember it even if we do not know how it is called. Additionally, we can say that we would also be able to think about something for which we do not have a name. Basically, that is how new concepts and words are created. We can not create a word without knowing its concept and without thinking about it first. For example, many times I forget the name of an object or I just do not know how an object is called, but I am able to understand how it works and for what it is used because I have used it before or I have learned from someone else. We can say that the words are used to be stored in our memory and to make it easier to remember something. ...read more.


all the time instead of using egocentric coordinates (right, left, front, behind). It can be said that their knowledge of geography and their orientation is much more developed than English or Spanish speakers. However, English and Spanish speakers are not prevented from learning exactly the same because of their language. Investigations regarding language and knowledge are not completely clear yet and more research should be carried on to understand entirely what the effect of language in our knowledge is. However, from the information we have and the analysis done I conclude that the extent and type of our language do not define our knowledge of the world. The improvement of our language and the way we interact with the world are a result of the development of our knowledge which is gained through experiences. There exists different cultures which different behaviors speaking the same language, or even deaf-mute people who can gain the same knowledge as an English speaker. Language does not limit our knowledge. I consider experiences and nurture as clearer factors that define our knowledge. Mario Cabani Mario Cabani ...read more.

The above preview is unformatted text


Found what you're looking for?

  • Start learning 29% faster today
  • 150,000+ documents available
  • Just £6.99 a month

Not the one? Search for your essay title...
  • Join over 1.2 million students every month
  • Accelerate your learning by 29%
  • Unlimited access from just £6.99 per month

See related essaysSee related essays

Related International Baccalaureate Theory of Knowledge essays

  1. ToK Language Essay. The extent and type of our language defines ...

    The second one is that these factors are inherited. Thus, since inheritance is the act of passing on knowledge to the other members of your society, and since the only way to do this is through language, it is possible to say that one's outlook of the world is inevitably limited, and hence defined, by language.

  2. we will always learn more about human life and human personality from novels than ...

    Does it make sense? Tu Bao : Hmmm... Charis : My mom told me that "behind every book is a man, behind the man is a culture, and behind the culture there are natural and social environments whose influence is unconsciously reflected back in the book".

  1. TOK - French Headscarf Ban - This law has not only affected faiths within ...

    Moreover, this issue is perceived by the French Government as them creating "United France". This would be beneficial as a more cohesive nation would create a sense of pride and nationalism. Instead of a France's face being made up of many different religions, which they view as a barrier, the face of France can be uniform and singular.

  2. &amp;quot;...we will always learn more about human life and human personality from novels than ...

    In that case, subjectivity did not inhibit knowledge of the main character's personality. Also, my emotional stance changed and grew, in my case with empathy. As a science, psychology attempts to be more neutral and therefore have strict sets for how research method are carried out and presented.

  1. Language defining difficult, language and translation and language has influenced of geography.

    or slang on the street "What's up, dude?" . It depends on the different situation and generation, we have different way to use language. However, what happen if we don't use language correctly or we don't choose the right way to speak with the other?

  2. Are the WOKS controlled by language?

    Language is combinatorial too. Take the concept of possession for example. A child owns a toy. And her mom owns the child. Then we refer to the toy as "Mom's child's toys." Language models the combinatorial nature of concepts. Language therefore is able to, from its method of conveying basic concepts, in a combinatorial manner, convey more complex concepts.

  1. The Language Instinct - theories of Pinker and Chomsky

    some change of blood flow in the brain, or a Chomskian (more on Chomsky below) "trace" in a sentence. The fact that humans build languages in certain ways does not show that they think things like "hmm, this is a topic-prominent language, so I'd better put the question word at the end."

  2. Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now ...

    When a baby comes out of the womb and steps into this world, he doesn?t know what clouds are, fruits are, colours are, plants are. He doesn?t know what this whole world is. He imagines his own world, full of fantasies.

  • Over 160,000 pieces
    of student written work
  • Annotated by
    experienced teachers
  • Ideas and feedback to
    improve your own work