How Language Shapes Thought: The Impact of Multilingualism on Cognitive Patterns and Group Dynamics

One of the metrics we use in the Sociology module is the language in which the user can communicate fluently with its native speakers. At first glance, language might seem like a qualitative parameter, which would be either not very informative or extremely problematic to use as a metric.

Regarding the “lack of informativeness,” I mean a scenario where proficiency in a particular language or multiple languages can only inform the researcher that the user is either a member of a minority ethnic group within a larger one. For example, the languages of the hill tribe peoples in Southeast Asia are usually supplemented by the languages of the nation-forming peoples. In Thailand, for instance, it is normal for the Karen people to speak both Karen and Thai. Meanwhile, Thais generally do not speak Karen or other hill tribe languages.

In this context, information about language proficiency provides little value in studying typical interaction scenarios within groups. It may only highlight some psychological nuances of minorities, which might not be particularly useful.

The picture becomes more interesting when we pay attention to more global trends. English has de facto become the language of international communication. Extending the above example with minorities, one can also say that all languages other than English are, in a sense, minority languages today.

Comparative Table:

As seen from the table, English, with its significant number of second-language speakers, far surpasses other languages in terms of global prevalence.

Estimating the exact number of bilingual people in English-speaking countries belonging to minority ethnic groups is challenging due to the diversity of ethnic groups and the various languages they speak. However, we can approximate the share of such bilingual individuals based on known statistical data.

Country Data:

Based on these data, it is safe to say that most people who speak English and live outside English-speaking countries have made an effort to learn this foreign language. This approach allows us to get closer to ensuring that information about the languages a user speaks can be quantitatively interpreted and becomes a full-fledged metric. Such a task is within reach for an experienced sociologist and social anthropologist. Given the limited number of languages in the world, algorithmizing this data is just a matter of time.

The next step, which can be made in the future based on this simple metric, is a much more complex analysis of the mental constructs available to the user, a native speaker of a language.

Let's look at examples in French, Korean, and Japanese, comparing them to English. We'll highlight how these languages use tense and structure to express wishes or hypothetical situations, which can shape mental patterns.

French

Example 1: Expressing a wish

French: "Je souhaite que tu sois heureux."
English: "I wish you to be happy."

In French, the subjunctive mood "sois" is used to express a wish, which doesn't exist in the same way in English. The subjunctive creates a pattern where the listener understands it's not a statement of fact, but a desired or hoped-for outcome.

Example 2: Hypothetical situation

French: "Si j'avais su, je serais venu."
English: "If I had known, I would have come."

Here, French uses the past perfect tense "avais su" and conditional perfect "serais venu" to describe a hypothetical past situation. In English, similar tenses are used, but the structure is more straightforward. This shows how French speakers might be more attuned to nuanced hypothetical reasoning due to their verb structures.

Korean

Example 1: Expressing a wish

Korean: "네가 행복하기를 바래."
English: "I wish you to be happy."

In Korean, the verb form "바래" (wish) followed by the conditional "기를" creates a structure that indicates a desire for someone's happiness. The verb form changes based on the level of politeness and formality, which is an important aspect of Korean culture.

Example 2: Hypothetical situation

Korean: "내가 알았다면, 갔을 거야."
English: "If I had known, I would have gone."

Korean uses the past tense "알았다면" (if I had known) and the conditional "갔을 거야" (would have gone) to express hypotheticals. The language's use of conditionals shapes a speaker's attention to the subtleties of what could have been, influencing decision-making and reflection.

Japanese

Example 1: Expressing a wish

Japanese: "あなたが幸せであることを願っています。" (Anata ga shiawase de aru koto o negatteimasu.)
English: "I wish you to be happy."

In Japanese, the structure "あなたが幸せであることを願っています" uses a noun clause to express the wish ("I am hoping for your happiness"). This indirect approach contrasts with the direct English expression and reflects the Japanese tendency toward indirect and polite expression.

Example 2: Hypothetical situation

Japanese: "もし私が知っていたら、行ったでしょう。" (Moshi watashi ga shitte itara, itta deshou.)
English: "If I had known, I would have gone."

Japanese uses the conditional form "もし知っていたら" (if I had known) and the tentative form "行ったでしょう" (would have gone), which are both more indirect than the English version. This structure reflects a cultural emphasis on politeness and indirectness, even in hypothetical scenarios.

Summary

Each language’s unique structures and tenses shape how speakers express wishes and hypotheticals:

• French uses the subjunctive to express wishes, creating a mental pattern around non-factual desires.
• Korean incorporates conditional endings and levels of politeness, reflecting social hierarchies and hypothetical reasoning.
• Japanese utilizes indirect and polite forms to express wishes and hypotheticals, reflecting a cultural emphasis on politeness and indirect communication.

These linguistic patterns influence how speakers of each language conceptualize and interact with the world, highlighting the deep connection between language and thought.

Thus, a multilingual person who has mastered English to a fluent level, while not living in an English-speaking country, gains the ability to use a second mental construct in their activities, allowing them to think and make decisions considering the characteristics of both languages. This enriches their cognitive abilities, enhances creativity, and improves cross-cultural understanding. In group communication, such a person can act as a bridge, facilitating the exchange of ideas and information between representatives of different cultures, contributing to more effective and harmonious interactions in international teams.