Why Language Shapes the Way We See the World (And Why That Matters More Than Ever)

We often think of language as a tool — a means to express ideas, share emotions, or give instructions. But what if language is more than that? What if the words we speak actually shape the way we perceive reality?

This idea isn’t new. Linguists like Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf suggested that the structure of our language influences our thought. In other words: how we speak affects how we think.

Language is a lens

Have you ever noticed how some languages have words for feelings or ideas that others simply don’t?For example:

• In Portuguese, saudade describes a deep, nostalgic longing.

• In Japanese, komorebi captures the light filtering through trees.

• In Setswana, botho reflects the concept of human interconnectedness.

These aren’t just poetic. They reflect how cultures understand time, space, relationships, and emotion. Language is not neutral — it carries history, power, resistance, and imagination.

In the digital age, language is identity

From memes to hashtags, language has become a performance of self. Code-switching, emojis, slang, and multiple dialects often live side by side on a single Instagram post or TikTok video.

Especially in diasporic and post-colonial communities, language becomes an act of resistance and preservation. Reclaiming mother tongues, remixing English with African or Indigenous syntax — these are forms of transmedia storytelling through language.