Language Shapes Thought
The structure of a language influences how its speakers experience the world. Your native language isn’t just how you speak—it’s also how you think!
Shalom (שלום): Hebrew
Paz: Spanish, Portuguese
Salaam (سلام): Arabic
Aloha: Hawaiian
Shlama (ܫܠܡܐ): Aramaic
A Universal Concept?
What’s common among these words? They all mean “peace” and serve as both greetings and farewells.
These examples originate in diverse language groups, yet all share this trifecta of meanings. Hebrew, Arabic, and Aramaic share roots in Afroasiatic languages, while Hawaiian, Spanish, and Portuguese come from unrelated linguistic branches.
What do you think? This fascinating linguistic feature suggests a universal human desire for connection, kindness, and goodwill that transcends cultural and geographic boundaries.
A language might, for example, emphasize actions over the person performing them, shifting blame and responsibility—or do the opposite. It may encode hierarchy into every sentence, reinforcing social roles. It might have gendered nouns that influence how people describe objects. Some languages frame time as cyclical, while others see it as linear.
If you speak more than one language natively, you may find that you can switch perspectives effortlessly—or feel the tension between different ways of structuring the world.
Hebrew—like all languages—has its own rhythm and worldview, making direct translation challenging. As you delve into Hebrew, you’ll notice its nuances. Sometimes, instead of a literal, word-for-word approach, an adaptation is needed. For example: נשברה לי הרגל literally translates to “The leg broke to me,” rather than “I broke my leg.”
Whether you’re studying the Torah or engaging in everyday conversation, embracing Hebrew’s subtleties not only enhances your fluency but also offers a deeper connection to the culture and thought processes embedded in the language.