Új Pedagógiai Szemle

The paper examines the classical question of how, and to what extent, language influences human thought. It first reviews the strong (linguistic determinism) and weaker (linguistic relativity) versions of the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis, then presents universalist approaches that emphasise language-independent, innate cognitive structures (Chomsky’s generative grammar, Pinker’s “mentalese”, Fodor’s modularity). The paper also discusses Basil Bernstein’s sociolinguistic theory, according to which social class–based linguistic codes shape styles of thinking and opportunities for abstract reasoning. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development is interpreted as viewing language as a “cloak” that is built upon pre-existing cognitive schemas, whereas Vygotsky’s dialectical perspective, through the concepts of inner speech and the zone of proximal development, highlights the mediating role of language between social experience and individual thought. These theoretical perspectives are illustrated by empirical findings from research on colour perception, spatial orientation, numerical cognition and bilingualism. In conclusion, the paper argues that the relationship between language and thought is neither a simple one-way causal chain nor a relation of independence: language rests on universal, biologically grounded cognitive processes, while at the same time it frames, organises and fine-tunes them within certain limits.

Baghramian, M. és Carter, J. A. (2025): The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (Spring 2025 Edition). In: Edward N. Zalta és Uri Nodelman (szerk.): Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy Archive (online). Letöltés: https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2025/entries/relativism (2025. 09. 10.).

Berlin, B. és Kay, P. (1969):. Basic Color Terms: Their Universality and Evolution. University of California Press, Berkeley – Los Angeles.

Bernstein, B. (1971): Class, Codes and Control: Theoretical Studies Towards a Sociology of Language (Vol. 1). Routledge – Kegan Paul, London.

Birjadi, P. és Sabah, S. (2012): A Review of the Language-Thought Debate: Multivariant Perspectives. BRAIN. Broad Research in Artificial Intelligence and Neuroscience. 3. 4. sz., 56–68.

Boroditsky, L. (2001): Does language shape thought? Mandarin and English speakers’ conceptions of time. Cognitive Psychology. 43. 1. sz., 1–22. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1006/cogp.2001.0748

Boroditsky, L. (2011): How Language Shapes Thought. Scientific American. 304. 2. sz., 62–65. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/scientificamerican0211 62

Chomsky, N. (1981): Knowledge of language: Its elements and origins. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences. 295. 1077. sz., 223–234. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.1981.0135

Chomsky, N. (2006): Language and mind (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511791222

Eysenck, M. W. és Keane, M. T. (2010): Cognitive psychology: A student’s handbook (6th ed.). Psychology Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315000114

Fernyhough, C. (2010): Vygotsky, Luria, and the social brain. In: Sokol, B. W., Müller, U., Carpendale, J. I. M., Young, A. R. és Iarocci, G. (szerk.): Self and social regulation: Social interaction and the development of social understanding and executive functions. Oxford University Press. 56–79. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195327694.003.0003

Fodor, J. A. (1975): The Language of Thought. Thomas Y. Crowell, New York.

Gazzaniga, M. S., Ivry, R. B. és Mangun, G. R. (2002). Cognitive neuroscience: The biology of the mind (2nd ed.). W. W. Norton és Company.

Gentner, D. és Goldin-Meadow, S. (szerk.; 2003): Language in Mind: Advances in the Study of Language and Thought. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.

Gordon, P. (2004): Numerical cognition without words: evidence from Amazonia. Science. 306. 5695. sz., 496–499. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1094492

Harley, T. A. (2008): The psychology of language: From data to theory (3rd ed.). Psychology Press. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315782942

Harley, T. A. (2010): Talking the talk: Language, psychology and science. Psychology Press.

Hart, B. és Risley, T. R. (1995): Meaningful differences in the everyday experience of young American children. Paul H Brookes Publishing.

Kay, P. és Kempton, W. (1984): What Is the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis? American Anthropologist. 86. 1. sz., 65–79. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/aa.1984.86.1.02a00050

Levinson, S. R. (2003): Space in Language and Cognition: Explorations in Cognitive Diversity. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Pederson, E., Danziger, E., Wilkins, D.P., Levinson, S.C., Kita, S. és Senft, G. (1998): Semantic typology and spatial conceptualization. Language. 74. 3. sz., 557–589.

Piaget, J. (1959): The Language and Thought of the Child (3rd ed.). Routledge és Kegan Paul, London.

Pinker, S. (1994): The Language Instinct. William Morrow, New York.

Pinker, S. (2007): The stuff of thought: Language as a window into human nature. Penguin Books.

Sapir, E. (1929): The status of linguistics as a science. Language. 5. 4. sz., 207–214.

Takács B. (2011. 05. 30.): Nyelvbe zárt világűr. Nyelv és Tudomány (online). Letöltés: https://www.nyest.hu/hirek/nyelvbe zart vilagur (2025. 10.20.).

Tattersall, I. (2009): Language and the origin of symbolic thought. Journal of Anthropological Sciences. 94. 157–166.

Vigotszkij, L. Sz. (1967): Gondolkodás és beszéd. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest.

Whorf, B. L. (1940): Science and linguistics. Technology Review. 42. 229–231; 247–248.