1. Warm Up
Describe the following objects as fully and completely as you can: 2.

2. Chapter 3, Section 2: Language and Culture
Symbols
Linguistic Relativity
Linguistic Determinism
The relationship between language and thought

3. Objective and DOL Objective DOL
SWBAT describe how language and culture are related and will describe the hypothesis of linguistic relativity
What are symbols?
How does language affect culture?
3-5 sentences: how do you see language affecting social behavior in school every day?

4. Symbols Symbol- a thing that stands for or represents something else
Partner Talk: What do these mean? Do they mean this to everyone?
Applause
Confederate flag
Bells ringing in school
Think-Pair-Share: Think of a symbol. Have your partner explain what it represents

5. Does language shape how we think??
The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis has two versions, both state that Language used by individuals influences how they think and understand the world.
Weak version (linguistic relativity)
Strong version (linguistic determinism)
Your book refers to the sapir-whorf hypothesis the hypothesis of linguistic relativity interchangeably.

6. Weak Sapir-Whorf (relativity)
Theory stating our reality depends upon our language
Different languages from different cultures will categorize and name the world differently
Culture plays an important role in how language groups together its ideas and concepts
Ex: Australians refer to sandals as “thongs”
How would you react if an Australian asked you to wear your thongs to the beach?
Eskimos have over 20 words to describe snow.

7. Example (colors): The Rainbow
The colors of the rainbow are described differently by different cultures
In American English ROY G BIV can be further categorized to the primary colors (red, yellow, blue)
This categorization reflects the English tendency to favor scientific explanations for things
How would you explain colors to an Alien from another planet?

8. Example continued: Hanunoo Primary Color System
Ma-bi:ru – black, very dark colors
Ma-Lagti – white, very pale colors
Ma-Latuy – green, freshness, succulence
Ma-rara – red, dryness, desiccation (drought)
Color system broken down into categories of light/dark and freshness/dryness
Why is this the case?
Hanunoo society favors a culture reliant on horticulture and dependent on seasonal effects of the weather on the environment.

9. Strong Sapir-Whorf (determinism)
Language will determine how an individual thinks and perceives the world
Peoples’ experiences and reality are shaped by language
Makes bilingualism and translations
nearly extremely difficult
Hindu language example
Impossible to test

10. The empty drum inspection, conducted by Benjamin Whorf
Two drums are pictured below.
Think-Pair-Share: What comes to mind with each drum (think safety).

11. Whorf’s Observations
Whorf was a fire inspector, and observed workers dealing with gasoline drums
He determined they were extremely careful around full drums, but very relaxed with empty drums
When a match is thrown into a full drum of gas, it will burn; when thrown into an empty drum full of vapors, it will EXPLODE

12. Whorf’s Findings
The workers treated the “empty” drums carelessly because of the meaning of empty
This meant that the language directly influenced how the workers thought, and affected their actions
How was Whorf’s findings compare to your understanding of the FULL and EMPTY drum??

13. Concept of Space in English vs. Dutch
American English is structured to be very egocentric of space and time
This means the language always describes a person position relative to where THEY are

14. Try this…. Someone stand in the front of class.
Which way is the desk located?
Turn 180 degrees in the opposite direction.
- Where is the desk located now?

15. For the pictures, the arrow is the direction a person is facing
Dutch and the Guugu-Yimidhirr Tribes languages rely on absolute reference points to describe their spatial placement
This means that the description of a person, place, or thing’s location is relative to the cardinal positions
For the pictures, the arrow is the direction a person is facing
Run through the example w/ student again, but have them do it according to Dutch/Guugu-Yimidhirr rules

16. What does this mean?
For Americans, our language forces us to continually view the world from our locality
Why? We are the “viewers” of the world, and are always the central point
Implications? Our thinking is more self-centered, a common trend in American culture
Think-Pair-Share: How is American culture and language affected by time?

17. Out of your seats
Organize yourself by alphabetical order of your Middle Name without speaking

18. Questions to Ponder
What type of variations can you think of in English (think dialects)?
Formal English (lingua franca), Ebonics, Country, North Eastern, foreign accents of any type
What type of stereotypes or thoughts come to mind when you hear an individual speaking these?
Is one better/worse, exciting/boring, annoying/inviting, intelligent/unwise?
How is this possible? Is it rational to judge another’s language? How did you reach this judgment?

19. DOL What are symbols? How does language affect culture?
3-5 sentences: how do you see language affecting social behavior in school every day?