Linguistic Relativity Unveiled: An Exploration of Language and Cognition in Second Language Acquisition

Abstract

In an era of rapid globalization, cultural exchange promotes a multilingual environment, thereby increasing exposure to different linguistic frameworks. This paper takes Chinese students with second language acquisition as the research object and tries to explore whether they are affected by psychological factors and environmental factors in the process of thinking and communication in their mother tongue or non-mother tongue. Based on the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which holds that language shapes thinking, the study investigates the cognitive linguistic challenges posed by the diversity between Chinese and Western languages and the cultural specificity behind different languages for Chinese students studying abroad. Eight in-depth interviews were conducted with Chinese students who have studied and lived abroad to gain a nuanced understanding of their language background, learning process and experiences in different language environments. Qualitative textual analysis of these interviews revealed the profound impact of cultural and thinking differences on the language difficulties encountered by participants. This study also explores the psychological factors that influence the choice of thought and expression language in the second language environment. The results show that context, common language with communication partners and cultural differences play a key role in language selection among Chinese students. In addition, the study explored the feasibility of how different languages might be better suited to express specific concepts or emotions.