A systematization of the Whorfian hypothesis

Abstract

Interest in the Whorfian hypothesis—that the characteristics of a language have determining influences on cognitive processes—is increasing, not only among linguists and social anthropologists, but also among general semanticists, psychologists, social psychologists, and sociologists. Here is an interesting attempt by a social psychologist to systematize some of the work in this problem area, by proposing a double dichotomy which gives rise to a discussion of the hypothesis at four levels.