Emotional Relativity—Argument from Nurture

Abstract

The anthropological principle of linguistic relativity constitutes the framework of anthropological research on all aspects of communication including emotions. Treated as an observable and immutable principle in anthropology, linguistic relativity has long been largely misconstrued outside its original discipline. Through a process of vulgarization, that is misinterpretation through oversimplification and decontextualization (Joseph 2002), the principle became known in other disciplines as the Sapir–Whorf Hypothesis. This chapter describes the development of the original linguistic relativity principle from the works of Franz Boas to the major contributions from Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf. It then traces the roots of the process of vulgarization of the principle which transformed it into the long controversial Sapir–Whorf Hypothesis. Recent reconciliatory developments in emotion psychology towards the original formulation of linguistic relativity principle are also included. Following this historical analysis, the anthropological literature on the intersection of language and emotions is reviewed in sections devoted to emotion–specific syntax, semantics, and pragmatics.