The Linguistic Mirror of Emotion: How Language Shapes Feelings Across Cultures
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69760/aghel.0250050005Keywords:
anguage and emotion, linguistic relativity, cross-cultural psychology, emotion lexiconAbstract
Language is more than a vehicle for communication – it is a mirror reflecting and shaping human emotion across different cultural worlds. This article explores how linguistic structures, vocabularies, and metaphors influence the way people perceive, categorize, and express their feelings. Drawing on evidence from linguistics, anthropology, and psychology, we find that languages encode emotion in culturally specific ways, from unique “untranslatable” emotion words to grammar and idioms that frame feelings differently. Cross-cultural studies show that speakers of different languages may actually perceive emotional expressions differently, supporting the view that language helps constitute emotional experience (Gendron et al., 2014; Jack et al., 2012). Moreover, bilingual individuals often report shifts in emotional intensity and expression when switching languages, highlighting the intimate link between language and feeling. While certain basic emotions may be pan-human, their linguistic labeling and interpretation are far from universal. Understanding these nuances has profound implications for cross-cultural communication, mental health, and global empathy. In sum, our emotions are not just biologically “hard-wired” responses but are also shaped and sharpened by the words and concepts our languages provide.
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