Sapir-Whorf Thesis: Conceptual Scheme

Different humans have different CS's. There are 2 parts to our experiences:
1) Sense data
2) Interpretation


Language influences our perception of the world.
Certain languages cannot be translated. (Tiv into English).
Conceptual Relativism - Different cultures have different realities. (Tiv have less understanding of colour).


Whorf
Different cultures interpret sense data differently.

Sapir 
Language limits our experience ('1984' by George Orwell explores this as a government invents a new vocabulary called 'Newspeak' that prevents people having bad thoughts about the government.

Kant and Sapir-Whorf
Similarities: We are born with CS
                    We need sense data for experience
Differences: (Kant) We all have the same interpretations
                    (S-W) We have different interpretations

Criticisms..

• Language doesn't lead to different perceptions - we still have the same ideas of sound, sight, emotions, colour etc.
• Languages can be translated, no matter how hard it may be.
• Empiricists are right after all? - CS learnt from language and culture (experience).
• There are ideas without language - emotions are ideas that require no language.