There is a fascinating TED Talk about language. The woman speaking has studied the effects of vocabulary on how we think. She described the language of a people in Australia in which there are no words like left and right. Instead everything follows cardinal direction. 

 

"I see that there is an ant on your southeast leg."

 

The traditional greeting is "Where are you headed?" Such language sets them up to be fully cognizant of their place in the landscape, rather than orienting the world around themselves. In English, right and left swivel with us as we turn our bodies. This also debunks the assumption that humans can never navigate as well as animals and birds. Even a small child in this tribe will know which way is north. 

 

Another aspect of language shows up in the construction around blame. English speakers would be likely to focus on who broke the vase. But in other tongues such as French and Spanish it suffices to say "le vase s'est cassé." or "Se rompió el jarrón." Both of those omit any suggestion of accusation. In fact it would be unexpected that speakers of these languages would ever admit that they had broken their arm. Such a statement would imply that this was their goal and they had succeeded. These nuances have implications when it comes to eyewitness testimony, because blame is not part of what is articulated. A prospective witness may not remember who bashed into a bunch of trash cans but only that it happened. 

 

Although it was not part of this scientist's data, I am curious about the impact on relationships. Assigning guilt has been a nagging weight in my life. If food gets left out on the counter overnight, my mind immediately asks who did it. Rather than merely seeing it as something that should be remedied, I focus on culpability. All of this leaves less energy for solutions, and drives a wedge between me and the people I am bent on incriminating. 

 

The notion that directions are not dependent on me, as they are with left and right, also suggests that there is something more reliable from which to navigate. Because it turns out, I am kind of inconsistent. If I leave the ice cream out, it is a minor transgression. But if one of the kids does, it is annoying.