The complex relationship that exists between society and language has been heavily discussed, particularly over the past few decades. Several significant theories and hypotheses come to mind when considering this relationship; for example, the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, which attempts to explain how language influences the way we perceive our world, is often cited as a major contributor to the conversation on culture and language.
The discussion very much mirrors the famous “chicken and egg” debate: which comes first, society or language? Do you shape your perspective of society through the lens of your language, or is your language altered by the culture in which you live? Take, for example, the words rivière and fleuve in French and river and stream in English. The division between these concepts in the two languages differs significantly. In French, one selects the appropriate word based off the end point of the flow of water: a fleuve flows into a larger body of water, such as a sea or ocean, whereas a rivière flows into another rivière or fleuve. On the other hand, an English speaker distinguishes stream from river based on its size: a stream is “a natural flow of water that is smaller than a river”, according to the online Merriam-Webster dictionary. The question that remains, then, is whether this difference in categorization is influenced by geographic necessity specific to the regions in which these languages are spoken or whether the words themselves have shaped how French speakers and English speakers perceive different bodies of water.
Linguists do agree, however, that certain societal factors play an evident role in how we speak; in fact, the study of this relationship forms the field known as sociolinguistics. Different personal characteristics can influence our linguistic habits; for example, age and gender are considered important extra-linguistic factors that can impact our language use. Furthermore, context and circumstance often determine what is and is not considered appropriate in a conversation, “appropriate” being a cultural and societal construct.
So how does this relate to translation and interpretation? If you consider the cultural factors that could determine why your client is using a certain word in place of another, you may find your final work more accurate and more carefully tuned to the exact meaning your client is attempting to convey. Knowing the semantic and syntactic rules of two languages is, of course, important to accurately translate a text; however, understanding the cultural context of the words your client would like you to translate is crucial to producing an outstanding final work.
Do you have any thoughts on the ways society impacts language use? We would love to read your opinions in the comments!
