How connected is language to culture?

Is it possible to think of a concept that your culture doesn't have a word for?

Yes, it is possible. Many cultures have words for different concepts that we do not have as English speakers. Many nursery rhymes and fairy tales are not recognised in other cultures because they do not need to teach those morals in their everyday life. On the other hand, those different fairy tales can be chopped and changed to suit each different culture. We, as members of western society, also have words that other cultures do not have, things like technology and modern medicine that some tribal cultures have not learnt of yet.

Do the languages you're exposed to affect your personality? What about the physical structure of your brain? Or your intellectual capacity?

It has been shown that people can switch between different ways of interpreting events and feelings, which is known as ‘frame shifting’. Researchers say that bilingual people that actively speak and are involved in two different cultures frame shift more readily and that language is the trigger.

According to an article by The Guardian, it has been found that if you are bilingual or multilingual, you delay a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and it may boost brain power. Also, bilingual children who use their second language frequently are better at multi-tasking and prioritising tasks.  The article also stated that “switching between different languages seems to stimulate the brain so that it builds up a cognitive reserve”.

Do you know any examples of words that are specific to particular cultures?

Words like ‘Jayus’, which is an Indonesian word that means “A joke so poorly told and so unfunny that one cannot help but laugh”. We simply do not have a word for this concept but the Indonesian language has adapted to accommodate this new word.