• Question: How did we think before there was language?

    Asked by lucy to Sam, Rose, Maggi, Kirsty, Ben on 15 Jun 2017.
    • Photo: Kirsty Miller

      Kirsty Miller answered on 15 Jun 2017:

      Hi Lucy, this is such an amazing question! Such a great question actually that I’m not quite sure where to start! Language is certainly linked very closely to thought, and I think what you’ve just asked is a very big question in psychology! I think we have the ability to think without language because we have representations of things in our brains (objects, or ideas, or memories etc) and these don’t necessarily need to have names for them to be there. For example, think about a favourite memory – even if you didn’t know the names of the things in the picture you’re thinking of – there would still be a picture in your mind. The main thing we need language for is to communication our thoughts to others, and arguably this helped us develop into then society we are today, but to think just to ourselves – I don’t think language is necessary for that!

    • Photo: Rose Turner

      Rose Turner answered on 16 Jun 2017:

      Also though language we ‘construct’ and give meaning to the world. Have you heard of the finding that Eskimos (there is some debate about the correct term to use; ‘Eskimo’ is considered offensive in some areas but Alaska generally accepts it, but that’s a separate debate) have 50 different words for snow? Well having lots of different words for something helps us to see the differences across that thing. So language has certainly impacted the way we understand and perceive the world.

Comments