This essay delves into the development of thought in infants, examining how language influences their perception of sounds, colors, and actions. It also explores the universality of language, focusing on structural similarities and conceptual commonalities between Japanese and other languages. Finally, it discusses cognitive semantic universality, emphasizing the shared patterns of thought and perception that exist across linguistic divides. Through this exploration, we aim to gain a deeper appreciation of the profound impact language has on our cognition and the shared cognitive foundation that unites diverse linguistic communities.
Table of Contents
1. Development of Thought in Infants
The Relationship Between Language and Thought
Language and thought are deeply interconnected. According to the Whorf Hypothesis, speakers of different languages perceive the world differently. However, research has shown that universal patterns of thought exist. This means that even with different languages, people can exhibit similar thought patterns. For example, different names for a particular object in various languages might still convey the same concept.
Sound Perception in Infants
Infants, for the first few months of their lives, can distinguish almost all sounds in any language. However, as they become accustomed to their native language, they lose this ability to distinguish sounds from other languages. For instance, the English sounds 'r' and 'l' are not significantly different in Japanese, so Japanese infants perceive these sounds as the same and do not pay attention to the differences.
Color Perception
Learning the names of colors takes longer for infants than learning the names of objects. Usually, after the age of 2, infants begin to distinguish some colors. However, identifying specific colors from a palette is challenging for them. The exact age at which children can distinguish certain colors is still unclear.
Perception of Actions
The way actions like "crossing" are expressed differs between Japanese and English. Studies show that 14-month-old infants focus on new changes in the background, while 19-month-old Japanese infants still focus on the same background. This indicates that after acquiring language, infants do not pay attention to distinctions that their language does not make. For example, English-speaking infants, after acquiring language, become indifferent to background changes if their language does not differentiate actions based on context.
2. Language Universality
Structural Universality
Since the late 20th century, it has been reported that structural universality exists across languages worldwide. For example, the Japanese word "Morgen(朝)" and the German word "Morgen" both have dual meanings of "morning" and "tomorrow." This reflects a cognitive universality, as the arrival of morning is followed by the next day.
Conceptual Commonalities
There are conceptual commonalities between Japanese and English. For instance, the Japanese word "今度" and the English word "this" both mean "now" and "next time." Additionally, the Japanese word "おめでたい" and the English word "silly" share meanings such as "a celebratory occasion," "a good-natured person," and "foolish."
3. Cognitive Semantic Universality
Cognitively similar patterns of thought and ways of perceiving exist regardless of language. This is because humans share a common blueprint at an abstract level. Thus, any language can be perceived as an image based on this common blueprint, leading to linguistic universality.
Conclusion
Language significantly shapes our thoughts and cognition, extending beyond mere communication. Observing infants' language development reveals how they initially can distinguish sounds from all languages but lose this ability as they become accustomed to their native tongue, demonstrating how language defines cognitive boundaries. The universality of language, seen in structural and conceptual similarities across languages like Japanese, German, and English, suggests an inherent cognitive blueprint shared by humans.
Cognitive semantic universality highlights that similar thought patterns and perceptions exist regardless of language, stemming from this shared cognitive foundation. By understanding these commonalities and differences, we gain a broader perspective on human cognition and language. This fosters better communication and cultural appreciation, showing that language is not just a communication tool but a means to enhance our cognitive abilities and connect diverse cultures.