"Language does not reflect the world directly; it reflects human conceptualization, human interpretation of the world" (Wierzbica 1992:7)
Many languages may differentiate different kinds of wind, cloud,snow without a general word referring to the category:
Polish: grayish cloud (chmura) and white cloud (oblok)
Nyawaygi (Australian): sun low in the sky in the morning and in the evening vs. Hot sun when overhead. Also no word for moon; instead, full moon and new moon
Will the speakers of these languages have a general concept of cloud and moon, respectively?
(Cf. Korean: 달; 보름달, 초승달, 반달, 그믐달)
Do you know any example or examples that show that concepts in one languge do not match those in another language?
Korean word 머리 môli can refer to either head, brain, or hair:
- 머리가 크다
môli-ka khu-ta 'One has a big head.' - 머리가 좋다
môli-ka coh-ta 'One is smart. [Lit. the brain is good]' - 머리가 길다
môli-ka kil-ta 'One has a long hair.'
Korean words 마음 Maûm and 가슴 kasûm
Kasûm may refer to heart or chest:
- 가슴/*마음이 뛴다
kasûm/*maûm-i ttwi-n-ta 'My heart is poundng.'- 가슴/마음이 아프다
kasûm/maûm-i aphû-ta 'My heart hurts/achs.' or 'I have pain on my chest.'No distinction between mind and heart (?):
- 마음/*가슴을 먹다
maûm/*kasûm-ûl môk-ta 'to make up one's mind'
Back vs. waist:
- My back hurts. 허리가 아프다 Hôli-ka aphû-ta (My waist achs).
Nature:
- It rains. 비가 온다 pi-ka o-n-ta 'Rain comes.'
- It snows. 눈이 온다 nun-i o-n-ta 'Snow comes.'
- It smells. 냄새가 난다 naemsae-ka na-n-ta 'smell comes out.'
Concept of plurality:
- Fish, sheep
- Gender distinctions in Romance languages
Concept of time:
- Aspectual distinction vs. tense distinction: French, Spanish vs. English
perfective/imperfective vs. present tense/past tense
Cf. Pidgin and creole languages
- Bantu languages' degree of pastness
- Non-cyclic view of time in Hopi: three days vs. on the third day, He stayed 10 days =He left after the 10th day.