linguistic determinism

Meaning: Linguistic determinism is the strong form of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. It claims that the language a person speaks sets the limits of thought: a concept with no word or grammatical category in that language cannot be thought. The weaker form, linguistic relativity, claims that language influences perception, memory and habits of thought without making other thoughts impossible.

On the MCAT: A passage describes a language with few color words or a different way of marking time, then asks which claim a result supports. Speakers who differ in speed or accuracy at telling colors apart fit relativity, since language biases thought. Determinism predicts that speakers could not grasp the distinction at all. Evidence that people can learn new concepts, or tell categories apart without a word for them, counts against determinism. Another question type contrasts the direction of influence: determinism says language drives thought, while other accounts say thought develops first and language reflects it.

Common confusion: Students call any link between language and thought "determinism." Settle it by strength: determinism means language determines thought, while relativity means language influences it. Most findings support the weaker version.