Language and Thought:
Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis

The profound differences between languages have often led people to think about the relationship between language and thought.

Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf, two American anthropologists, were particularly concerned about this issue.

Their ideas have come to be known as the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis.

The Sapir - Whorf Hypothesis comes in two varieties: strong and weak

Strong: language determines thought and linguistic categories limit and determine cognitive categories.

Weak: linguistic categories and usage influence thought and, in some cases, behavior.