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Does language shape how we think?

Part 2 of the TED Radio Hour episode Small But Mighty.

Languages are complex and our words are powerful. Cognative scientist Lera Boroditsky discusses how even small variations in language may mean big distinctions in how we experience the world.

About Lera Boroditsky

Lera Boroditsky is an associate professor of cognitive science at University of California, San Diego, and editor-in-chief of Frontiers in Cultural Psychology.

She previously served on the faculties at MIT and Stanford. Boroditsky has been named one of 25 visionaries changing the world by the Utne Reader, and is also a Searle Scholar, a McDonnell scholar, recipient of an NSF Career award and an APA Distinguished Scientist lecturer. She is one of the main contributors to the theory of linguistic relativity.

This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by Katie Monteleone and edited by Manoush Zomorodi. You can follow us on Facebook @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadioHour@npr.org.


Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Manoush Zomorodi is the host of TED Radio Hour. She is a journalist, podcaster and media entrepreneur, and her work reflects her passion for investigating how technology and business are transforming humanity.
Katie Monteleone is a producer for TED Radio Hour. She started out as an intern for the show in January 2019. After her internship, Monteleone began producing for Life Kit before returning to the TED Radio Hour team in October 2019 as a full-time producer.