Somewhere in the internet a couple of months ago - maybe it was here, might have been in a science video, not quite sure - an Aboriginal language was mentioned in which, instead of ever describing something like “the mountain to the east (or west, or north, etc)”, it is always more like “the mountain to MY east” (meaning to the left of the speaker), even while talking to someone facing in a different direction, yet the listener always understands and makes the internal conversion to HIS own personal, subjective orientation. All the time, even while talking in a group, everybody facing in different directions.
This is quite the mental exercise, a peculiar, finely-tuned subjective orientational awareness, everybody communicating their personal orientation grid with each individual at the center, each making the conversion in their minds in real time while talking.
While all Aboriginal people seem to possess a powerful sense of orientation, can navigate the unforgiving Outback on foot indefinitely knowing where all the water holes are with no map nor compass, this specific group seems to have taken that ability further, are able to physically sense fluctuations in Earth’s magnetic field.
So the current speculation goes that this is a striking example of how powerful language can be as a neuro-plasticity tool, how certain sensibilities can be developed.
Maybe any language carries with it enhanced sensibilities of certain types, while neglecting many potential others. Like there is always a tradeoff, a certain balance must be kept with the resources available to the mind.
Maybe a single language can keep on developing and/or adopting traits that can enhance more and more sensibilities and abilities, the best of all worlds, so to speak. And that is a fascinating thought - some sort of future “superlanguage”.
As language evolves, so does consciousness, and viceversa.
Somewhere in the internet a couple of months ago - maybe it was here, might have been in a science video, not quite sure - an Aboriginal language was mentioned in which, instead of ever describing something like “the mountain to the east (or west, or north, etc)”, it is always more like “the mountain to MY east” (meaning to the left of the speaker), even while talking to someone facing in a different direction, yet the listener always understands and makes the internal conversion to HIS own personal, subjective orientation. All the time, even while talking in a group, everybody facing in different directions.
This is quite the mental exercise, a peculiar, finely-tuned subjective orientational awareness, everybody communicating their personal orientation grid with each individual at the center, each making the conversion in their minds in real time while talking.
While all Aboriginal people seem to possess a powerful sense of orientation, can navigate the unforgiving Outback on foot indefinitely knowing where all the water holes are with no map nor compass, this specific group seems to have taken that ability further, are able to physically sense fluctuations in Earth’s magnetic field.
So the current speculation goes that this is a striking example of how powerful language can be as a neuro-plasticity tool, how certain sensibilities can be developed.
Maybe any language carries with it enhanced sensibilities of certain types, while neglecting many potential others. Like there is always a tradeoff, a certain balance must be kept with the resources available to the mind.
Maybe a single language can keep on developing and/or adopting traits that can enhance more and more sensibilities and abilities, the best of all worlds, so to speak. And that is a fascinating thought - some sort of future “superlanguage”.
As language evolves, so does consciousness, and viceversa.