Do lexical and grammatical variations across languages lead to differences in how users of different languages perceive or reason about the world? If so, how? If not, why not? And, crucially, how can such questions be tested? This course is centered around this long-standing (and sometimes contentious) topic of the extent to which thought is influenced by language. We will cover the history and current literature on the effects of language on thought, drawing on ideas and methods from cognitive science, linguistic typology, experimental psycholinguistics, statistics, and the broader philosophical question of what defines human language. Students will apply what they've learned to the development of their own projects that further explores the relationship between language and thought.
3-4 units · Letter or Credit/No Credit
Do lexical and grammatical variations across languages lead to differences in how users of different languages perceive or reason about the world? If so, how? If not, why not? And, crucially, how can such questions be tested? This course is centered around this long-standing (and sometimes contentious) topic of the extent to which thought is influenced by language. We will cover the history and current literature on the effects of language on thought, drawing on ideas and methods from cognitive science, linguistic typology, experimental psycholinguistics, statistics, and the broader philosophical question of what defines human language. Students will apply what they've learned to the development of their own projects that further explores the relationship between language and thought.
Offered in Winter 2027 at Stanford University.