The Naked Scientists
  • Login
  • Register
  • Podcasts
      • The Naked Scientists
      • eLife
      • Naked Genetics
      • Naked Astronomy
      • In short
      • Naked Neuroscience
      • Ask! The Naked Scientists
      • Question of the Week
      • Archive
      • Video
      • SUBSCRIBE to our Podcasts
  • Articles
      • Science News
      • Features
      • Interviews
      • Answers to Science Questions
  • Get Naked
      • Donate
      • Do an Experiment
      • Science Forum
      • Ask a Question
  • About
      • Meet the team
      • Our Sponsors
      • Site Map
      • Contact us

User menu

  • Login
  • Register
  • Home
  • Help
  • Search
  • Tags
  • Member Map
  • Recent Topics
  • Login
  • Register
  1. Naked Science Forum
  2. General Science
  3. General Science
  4. Think faster with faster language?
« previous next »
  • Print
Pages: 1 [2]   Go Down

Think faster with faster language?

  • 30 Replies
  • 12380 Views
  • 0 Tags

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Joe L. Ogan

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • 476
  • Activity:
    0%
    • View Profile
Think faster with faster language?
« Reply #20 on: 27/08/2010 22:05:08 »
I did not realize that so many people thought only in concepts.  I think in concepts also but that is only the first step for me.  I then explain it to myself in language.  I may even discuss it with myself and explore the thought of being either right or wrong.  Thanks for comments.  Joe L. Ogan
Logged
 



Offline Monox D. I-Fly

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • 438
  • Activity:
    0%
  • Thanked: 5 times
    • View Profile
Re: Think faster with faster language?
« Reply #21 on: 10/01/2019 03:38:46 »
Quote from: Joe L. Ogan on 31/07/2010 00:42:43
Did you know that there are 24 different kinds of math?
Wait, what? Explain!
Logged
 

Offline Bored chemist

  • Naked Science Forum GOD!
  • *******
  • 22003
  • Activity:
    100%
  • Thanked: 511 times
    • View Profile
Re: Think faster with faster language?
« Reply #22 on: 10/01/2019 10:18:06 »
Quote from: Monox D. I-Fly on 10/01/2019 03:38:46
Quote from: Joe L. Ogan on 31/07/2010 00:42:43
Did you know that there are 24 different kinds of math?
Wait, what? Explain!
That's the problem with necromancy; the author isn't here any more.
Logged
Please disregard all previous signatures.
 

Offline alancalverd

  • Global Moderator
  • Naked Science Forum GOD!
  • ********
  • 11426
  • Activity:
    100%
  • Thanked: 671 times
  • life is too short to drink instant coffee
    • View Profile
Re: Think faster with faster language?
« Reply #23 on: 10/01/2019 11:14:05 »
It has been suggested that the form of Chinese and Japanese counting numbers lend themselves better to speed mental arithmetic than their western variants. It is also the case that learned jargon can trigger a complex semiautomatic response, so it is arguable that some languages might produce a shorter time from input to output.
Logged
helping to stem the tide of ignorance
 

Offline Bored chemist

  • Naked Science Forum GOD!
  • *******
  • 22003
  • Activity:
    100%
  • Thanked: 511 times
    • View Profile
Re: Think faster with faster language?
« Reply #24 on: 10/01/2019 12:43:02 »

Quote from: alancalverd on 10/01/2019 11:14:05
It has been suggested that the form of Chinese and Japanese counting numbers lend themselves better to speed mental arithmetic than their western variants. It is also the case that learned jargon can trigger a complex semiautomatic response, so it is arguable that some languages might produce a shorter time from input to output.
I wonder if a comparable study has been made about French

* French Numbers.png (102.36 kB . 991x903 - viewed 1536 times)
Logged
Please disregard all previous signatures.
 



Offline alancalverd

  • Global Moderator
  • Naked Science Forum GOD!
  • ********
  • 11426
  • Activity:
    100%
  • Thanked: 671 times
  • life is too short to drink instant coffee
    • View Profile
Re: Think faster with faster language?
« Reply #25 on: 10/01/2019 14:01:09 »
Not to mention onze, douze, treize....vinget-et-un, vingt-deux.... when our oriental friends say tenone, tentwo....twotenone....
Logged
helping to stem the tide of ignorance
 

Offline Bill S

  • Naked Science Forum King!
  • ******
  • 3631
  • Activity:
    0%
  • Thanked: 108 times
    • View Profile
Re: Think faster with faster language?
« Reply #26 on: 11/01/2019 17:51:28 »
Quote from: OP
If one thought in a faster or more concise language than say, English, would s/he be able to formulate ideas faster? Likewise, if the language was more expansive or logical than English, would that improve one's critical thinking skills? In general, how does language impact thought process?

I think the language we use makes little (if any) difference to our speed of thought.  Probably, our familiarity with the language we are using makes more difference to the ease with which we organise and express our ideas than does the nature of the language; discounting those “primitive” languages that might lack the necessary vocabulary. 

Quote from:  Joe L. Ogan
    I did not realize that so many people thought only in concepts.  I think in concepts also but that is only the first step for me.  I then explain it to myself in language.  I may even discuss it with myself and explore the thought of being either right or wrong.

That sounds like a description of my thought process. :)

If I’m writing notes about something I’m trying to understand, I tend to write as though explaining to some one else. 
Logged
There never was nothing.
 

Offline Monox D. I-Fly

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • 438
  • Activity:
    0%
  • Thanked: 5 times
    • View Profile
Re: Think faster with faster language?
« Reply #27 on: 12/01/2019 07:04:22 »
Quote from: Bored chemist on 10/01/2019 12:43:02
I wonder if a comparable study has been made about French

* French Numbers.png (102.36 kB . 991x903 - viewed 1536 times)
You think that's bad? Try deciphering Roman numeral.
XLIX = Ten subtracted from fifty plus one subtracted from ten = (–10 + 50) + (–1 + 10) = 40 + 9 = 49
Logged
 

Offline alancalverd

  • Global Moderator
  • Naked Science Forum GOD!
  • ********
  • 11426
  • Activity:
    100%
  • Thanked: 671 times
  • life is too short to drink instant coffee
    • View Profile
Re: Think faster with faster language?
« Reply #28 on: 12/01/2019 12:26:49 »
And now multiply! II x II = IV you can do on your fingers, but how can you prove the hypotenuse of a III IV triangle to be V? What do ancient Greek numerals look like, for Pythagoras' sake? How on earth did builders estimate numbers of bricks, or make right-angles before Arabic numbers?
Logged
helping to stem the tide of ignorance
 



Offline Rodin1880

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • 17
  • Activity:
    0%
  • Naked Science Forum Newbie
    • View Profile
Re: Think faster with faster language?
« Reply #29 on: 12/01/2019 22:47:06 »
To use a faster language you would have to think faster, but that doesn't mean that the faster thinking is a result of the faster language, more than likely the opposite would be the reality...
Quality of thought, something that is rare today, is the next question, speed doesn't usually result in better thought, in fact "sleeping on it" usually creates the best quality of thought...
A larger diversification of words was suggested but if you take the time to look at our English language you'll see that we DO have a large diversity that most people don't recognize as being different words, such as "Apparent", "Obvious", and "Evident"... They are apparently the same, some might say obviously the same, but few know they are evidently different...
I recently met a young Chinese Migrant, well versed in English. I mentioned "television" and he couldn't come to terms with my limitation of the subject... His confusion being apparent, I inquired, and he explained that there is more "television" than what the cable company supplies... The transfer of visuals also comes from DVD's BluRay, and many other forms, including his smart phone which he pointed at as he explained... While he knew what a "TV" is, he didn't realize that "TV" means television...
Logged
 

Offline alancalverd

  • Global Moderator
  • Naked Science Forum GOD!
  • ********
  • 11426
  • Activity:
    100%
  • Thanked: 671 times
  • life is too short to drink instant coffee
    • View Profile
Re: Think faster with faster language?
« Reply #30 on: 13/01/2019 00:19:13 »
Not sure about your last point. Television is seeing at a distance, so a live image on a mobile phone certainly counts as television, as does a CCTV feed to a monitor. But why necessarily live, since almost no public broadcast TV is live and a fair bit of it consists of high quality film and digital recording - no different from a DVD? Is there a significant difference between a "home cinema" and a modern public cinema with digital projection? Where do you draw the line?
Logged
helping to stem the tide of ignorance
 



  • Print
Pages: 1 [2]   Go Up
« previous next »
Tags:
 

Similar topics (5)

What is the impact of culture versus nature involving "Language"?

Started by ChopinwhoreBoard General Science

Replies: 10
Views: 5369
Last post 11/02/2013 13:49:14
by Minerva
Are dogs easier to train spoken to in the language of their country of origin?

Started by itadikiBoard Plant Sciences, Zoology & Evolution

Replies: 11
Views: 5115
Last post 24/12/2017 12:20:25
by chris
Does learning a language use the same part of the brain as playing chess?

Started by Paul Anderson Board General Science

Replies: 1
Views: 3703
Last post 23/11/2008 15:47:05
by Make it Lady
Empaths: Could they exist by simply reading body language?

Started by Michael McBoard Physiology & Medicine

Replies: 9
Views: 5052
Last post 09/11/2020 15:57:00
by Bored chemist
How can brain activity reflecting language function be measured?

Started by cris6660Board Physiology & Medicine

Replies: 1
Views: 3892
Last post 25/12/2008 05:36:45
by RD
There was an error while thanking
Thanking...
  • SMF 2.0.15 | SMF © 2017, Simple Machines
    Privacy Policy
    SMFAds for Free Forums
  • Naked Science Forum ©

Page created in 0.165 seconds with 61 queries.

  • Podcasts
  • Articles
  • Get Naked
  • About
  • Contact us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Subscribe to newsletter
  • We love feedback

Follow us

cambridge_logo_footer.png

©The Naked Scientists® 2000–2017 | The Naked Scientists® and Naked Science® are registered trademarks created by Dr Chris Smith. Information presented on this website is the opinion of the individual contributors and does not reflect the general views of the administrators, editors, moderators, sponsors, Cambridge University or the public at large.