An Internship Report on ActionAid: An Introspect from Linguistic Relativity

Abstract

The aim of this report is to find out how language influences thought in the light of linguistic relativity. More than 7,100 languages are spoken in the world which makes the world full of diversity and a beautiful place. Language and thought are inseparable from each other. Language is not only used to communicate it also triggers emotions, imagination, and action. The study of how language influences thought has a long story. Various theories have been provided by renowned intellectuals and many researchers conducted research to find the attachment between language and thought. In that objective, the hypothesis of Sapir-Whorf also known as the linguistic relativity hypothesis can demonstrate how language influences thought/cognition. Many researchers conducted research about language and thought but there is not much empirical evidence of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. Analytical case studies can support the linguistic relativity hypothesis strongly. Furthermore, it will demonstrate the power of thought/ cognition against social issues and how it brings changes in reality. This qualitative research will explore how one perceives the world expressed through language and exactly the same as reality and how it can be influenced by language. This paper also reveals how a humanitarian organization helps underprivileged children and their families to bring changes in their life, culture, and society with the influence of language in the light of the linguistic relativity hypothesis as empirical evidence.