Benjamin Lee Whorf

religion priestcraft

"Too long has the public mind considered religion to be synonymous with priestcraft."

— Benjamin Lee Whorf (1897-1941)

nature cut concept significance agreement speech community langu

"We cut nature up, organize it into concepts, and ascribe significances as we do, largely because we are parties to an agreement to organize it in this way - an agreement that holds through our speech community and is codified in the patterns of our language."

— Benjamin Lee Whorf (1897-1941)

language cosmos change transform appreciation

"A change in language can transform our appreciation of the cosmos."

— Benjamin Lee Whorf (1897-1941)

nature dissect native language

"We dissect nature along lines laid down by our native language."

— Benjamin Lee Whorf (1897-1941)

language experience framework

"Language is not simply a reporting device for experience but a defining framework for it."

— Benjamin Lee Whorf (1897-1941)

language thinking

"Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about."

— Benjamin Lee Whorf (1897-1941)