First-Language Thinking for Second-Language Understanding: Mandarin and English Speakers’ Conceptions of Time

Abstract

Does the language you speak affect how you think about the world? English and Mandarin speakers talk about time differently. Is this difference between the two languages reflected in the way their speakers think about time? The findings of two RT experiments show that different ways of talking about time lead to different ways of thinking. In Experiment 1, Mandarin-English bilinguals were compared to native English speakers. The results suggested that Mandarin speakers used a “Mandarin way of thinking” even when they were “thinking for English”. In Experiment 2, native English speakers were trained to talk about time in “a Mandarin way”. Results showed that even after a short training, native English speakers behaved more like Mandarin speakers than like untrained English speakers. It is concluded that language is a powerful tool in shaping thought.