Describe the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis

The **Sapir-Whorf hypothesis**, also known as linguistic relativity, proposes that the structure of a language influences its speakers' perception and cognitive processes. It is divided into two main versions:

1. **Linguistic Determinism**: The stronger form suggests that language determines thought and perception. According to this view, speakers of different languages experience and think about the world in fundamentally different ways based on the linguistic structures available to them.

2. **Linguistic Relativity**: The weaker form suggests that language influences thought and perception, but does not completely determine them. It implies that speakers of different languages may have different cognitive frameworks or ways of perceiving the world due to the linguistic categories their language provides.

The hypothesis was developed by linguists Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf. While the strong form (determinism) has been largely criticized and refuted, the weaker form (relativity) has found support in various studies showing that language can shape habitual thought patterns and perceptual experiences.