The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, or linguistic relativity, has fascinated linguists, anthropologists, and psychologists for decades. It holds that the structure of a language influences the cognition, worldview, and even culture of its speakers. Although the underlying concept that language influences thought is controversial among scholars, it continues to provide an interesting framework for analyzing different languages. In this column, I will look at the Kurdish language through the lens of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis and explore how the unique features of the Kurdish language might shape the thoughts and perceptions of its speakers.
