Guns that squat

Language is a beautiful tool. It enables people to pass on knowledge to others, or hide knowledge from others. It can become part of someone's identity, for better or worse. Language can even make us obliged to think in a particular way.

In the Second World War, encryption of messages was a key part of making sure your officers knew what to do, whilst the enemy did not. Machines were tools designed specifically for this purpose; however the code that could not be broken was language. Navajos were recruited by the Marine Corps to act as code talkers. There language was unlike any European or Asian language and there tribe had not been visited by German students. Fortunately for the U.S. Americans, the tribesmen were very patriotic and willing to adapt their language for the purpose of military messages. They described military vehicles as animals, which already had names in their language, and they even added words for use in spelling out the names of places. Their code was never broken. It’s interesting that the Marines had to trust something they could not understand.

With the Navajos, their unique language was beneficial. Yet, if you look at languages that are spoken in large populations, you might find that the populations’ thoughts are shaped by how the language they use. This is not to say that they cannot describe concepts for which there language has no words, just look at the Navajos who described mortars as “Guns that squat”. No, it is deeper than that. English does not use genders for nouns, whereas French and German give inanimate objects genders, and you can always tell if a person has been with their male friends or with their female friend. This difference in thought may not just give greater emphasis to gender, it can also make the mind obliged to be aware of things others do not even necessarily value. Guugu Yimithirr speakers language gives position and directions in terms of the compass: North, East, South, West. They do not give position relative to themselves, e.g. left of me, right of you. Due to this, it has been found that these people have a subconscious knowledge of which way is North, East, South, West. Their superhero name would be ‘The Human Compass’, although quite how they would fight crime, I don’t know. It’s impressive how it appears their language has affected their mind and body in such a way that this ‘superpower’ has been unlocked.

In contrast to this, the environment can have an effect on your body that in turn affects your language. Scholars can recognise those language developed at high altitude based on the use of ejective consonants – rapid bursts of air exhaled while making a sound! As is often the case, tools are affected by the environment where they are developed and humans then adapt it further as new purposes need to be fulfilled.