ABSTRACT

This chapter discusses the 'classical' question which can be traced back to as early as the 18th century, that is, the relation between language, culture and thought. It starts with an overview of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, followed by a selective review of influential arguments and lines of enquiry. Linguistic relativity received much attention among scholars and members of the public during the 1950s and 1960s, since it has fundamental implications for the understanding of linguistic and cultural differences. The review of the historical and current debate on the interrelationship between language, thought and culture shows that there is a connection between language, culture and thought, although how they are connected and what role cognition plays in the mix are controversial. The debate has direct implications for the field of intercultural communication in a number of areas, in particular, approaches to language and culture learning and the rationale behind the search for culture-specific ways of communication.