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Words Affect Our Reality - On The Right

Posted by jamie on from the theory-of-the-mobius dept.

The Whorf hypothesis claims that one's native language influences perception and thought. Researchers at UC-Berkeley and U-Chicago reasoned that, since language is predominantly processed in the left hemisphere of the brain, any effect on perception should have an effect predominantly on the right visual field, which is also processed on the left. After comparing reaction times for hues of blue-green -- colors with distinct names in one language but not another -- they concluded, in a just-published paper, that the Whorf hypothesis holds for the right visual field, but not the left.

10 of 258 comments (clear)

  1. You learn something new every day. by TripMaster+Monkey · · Score: 5, Funny

    And all this time I thought the Worf hypothesis was just "Today is a good day to die.".

    ...the Whorf hypothesis holds for the right visual field, but not the left.

    Apparently the left visual field is "without honor".

    --
    ____

    ~ |rip/\/\aster /\/\onkey

    1. Re:You learn something new every day. by Gzip+Christ · · Score: 2, Funny
      And all this time I thought the Worf hypothesis was just "Today is a good day to die.".
      Don't be ridiculous - that's the Worf axiom.
  2. Words do affect our reality... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    ...on the right

    Based on last nights SOTU speech, let's hope there's an exception to that rule.

  3. I always liked the reverse Whorf hypothesis.. by jcr · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm convinced that the Eskimos settled in the Arctic, because they had so many different words for "snow".

    -jcr

    --
    The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
  4. Oh please oh please oh please oh please... by Cranky+Weasel · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...may the barrage of bad Star Trek jokes be peppered with the occasional enlightening, thoughtful tidbit...

  5. The Whorf hypothisis? by Cro+Magnon · · Score: 3, Funny

    Sorry, but a Klingon warrior knows as much about language as a pointy-eared Vulcan does about child care.

    --
    Slow down, cowboy! It has been 4 hours since you last posted. You must wait another few hours.
  6. Re:bi -lingual ?? by lbmouse · · Score: 2, Funny

    Bi-lingual?

    Then you are either a cunnilingus or a cunning linguist.

  7. Oh no... by the_demiurge · · Score: 3, Funny

    If language does have such a profound effect on our thought processes, does this mean the Time Cube guy is right, and "Teachers are hired evil word pedants who enslave childish minds to a lifetime stupidity."?

    Are we really "educated as a stupid android slave to the evil Word Animal Singularity Brotherhood"?

    I'm scared. :-(

  8. But what. . . by smooth+wombat · · Score: 4, Funny

    if I pass the dutchie on the left-hand side? What then?

    --
    We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
  9. Distinguish colors in diff. languages by witte · · Score: 4, Funny

    Using different languages can make an *enormous* difference in how easy it is for one to distinguish between, for example, blue and green !

    Just look at the following Fine Example :

    HTML : #0000FF - - - #00FF00
    Perl : \0032 - - - \0033
    BASIC : Navy - - - Chartreuse

    Clearly, hexidecimal notation of HTML is far superior in clarity to all other languages !