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Subject: Re: The influence of language on thought ( 31 of 58 )
Posted by Weird Billy, the Janitor

>What a limited language will do, though, is impair a person's ability
> to communicate those complex thoughts.

Communicate to whom? To others? My thought is that, with limited language skills, limited knowledge of language, it would be difficult to formulate complex thoughts regardings things that you cannot describe. For example, if I were to look at the innards of a cow, the only thought I would have would relate to disgust. I would have no thoughts on what is what as I have no means to describe them, to communicate them, sub-vocally to myself. My thoughts would be limited to "what is that?" Certainly, I would have thoughts about color, smell, sight, texture, etc., all complex thoughts, but I could have no thought, could form no reasonable opinion, on what part does what and how it relates to the whole, and this would be so because of my complete ignorance of what I was viewing.

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