Globalization and the emergence of businesses that operate in many markets throughout the world have dramatically increased the significance of different languages and the ability to communicate in them. Nowadays, companies and executives are able to interact with people from distant countries efficiently. But occasionally, people have trouble communicating clearly with one another simply because the words used in their native tongues have different meanings.
Language affects the perception of various elements in the lives of humans, including:
Time
Although it might appear that everyone has the same concept of “time,” this is not the case. People who speak different languages also have varied perceptions of time, according to findings from the 1970s. For the people of England, time moves linearly from “left” toward “right.” Chinese people conceptualize time as being “under” and “over.” Size matters a lot to the Greeks, and so time is either “big” or “little.”
Space
To define the alignment of the space around us, in English, the words “right” and “left” are used. However, geographical markers are employed in several languages. Professor Boroditsky, a cognitive scientist, discovered the Pormpuraawan tribe while conducting a study in Australia. Instead of using the terms “left” or “right,” the tribe more frequently uses the terms “south-western” and “north-east.” As a result of this type of language instruction, individuals have a strong sense of direction.