Sapir–Whorf hypothesis: Difference between revisions

The '''Sapir–Whorf hypothesis''' suggests that the structure of a language influences its speakers' worldview or cognition, and thus individuals' languages determine or shape their perceptions of the world. The strong form of the hypothesis{{aside|also known as {{w|linguistic determinism}}}}, which is discredited in modern {{w|linguistics}}, claims that language determines and limits thought. The weak form, which is better supported, claims that language influences perception but does not obstruct it.

 

Many articles written about [[Toki Pona]] claim that [[Toki Pona]] is inspired by the Sapir&ndash;Whorf hypothesis.<ref>{{cite web|url=//www2.hawaii.edu/~chin/661F12/Projects/ztomaszewski.pdf|title=A Formal Grammar for Toki Pona|author=Tomaszewski, Zach|username=|date=11 Dec 2012|website=University of Hawaiʻi System|publisher=|access-date=2024-03-13|quote=Toki pona&hellip; is inspired by Taoism and the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.}}</ref> This likely refers to the language's original [[philosophy]], which, as described in {{pu|en}}, claims that training oneself to think in Toki Pona can have positive effects on cognition and perceiving the central nature of things.<ref>{{cite pu|10, 12, back cover}}</ref> However, {{tok|[[jan Sonja]]}} has denied crediting the Sapir&ndash;Whorf hypothesis as an inspiration for the language.<ref name="sonja-whorf" />