If you speak no language, how do you think?

Say if you were born a deaf mute and didn't learn any language. How would you think? Would you think in images, sounds, smells and tastes?

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Reply 1

Jelly150

That's an interesting question. Hopefully someone knows the answer.

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Reply 2

MattyR2895

You don't need language in order to think. Language is used to communicate your thoughts to others.

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Reply 3

DrAdrenaline

in pictures, you visualise it

Reply 4

toonervoustotalk

In maths

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Reply 5

godd

Original post by MattyR2895

You don't need language in order to think. Language is used to communicate your thoughts to others.

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You can think in a form of language in your mind though. It's not the only way of thinking, but it is a form.

Reply 6

godd

Original post by swopnil

in pictures, you visualise it

So is thinking in language a shortcut to thinking in pictures?

Reply 7

Arieh

This is a very interesting question and the answer is not so simple.
I'm a linguist and as far as I know there is one only case of a person who didn't acquire a language that has been extensively studies scientifically, so there is no clear evidence to answer.
Consider that it had been proposed that people who don't learn any language are incapable of forming memories (even if this has been proved wrong)... Language is a natural process of the brain, not acquiring one happens only in the most exceptional circumstances and basically leaves your cognitive abilities mutilated.

PS: deaf people can learn sign language and are able to read lips.

Reply 8

username878045

I'm not sure if there's any evidence to suggest that people without language do perform complex thinking (or that they do not). A deaf-blind person may be incapable of higher-order thinking beyond that of an animal like a chimp. The deaf-mute you mentioned could still learn sign language.

Many academics think that language and thought are inseparable and that language was what allowed humans to develop their intelligence so quickly.

Reply 9

TolerantBeing

Linguistic psychology is interesting.

Reply 10

xDave-

How an animal thinks, I suppose. A dog doesn't hear the word "sit" and then process the definition of the word, deciding what action it should take. Instead, it relates the sound to an experience - perhaps being sat down by its owner after hearing the word. When it hears that sound again, it'll perform the same action. Same applies for the other senses it has; animals and humans alike are conditioned into doing certain things through experience. Read about Pavlov's Dogs if you want to learn about that. You can also look up feral children, there might be some information better relating to your question; these are kids who have been abandoned at an early age and never been exposed to language.

Reply 11

godd

Original post by PythianLegume

We don't need language.

I can communicate to you via drawings like cavemen.

The fact humans can visualize and remember past uses of objects is what makes us smart.

Reply 12

Plantagenet Crown

Helen Keller was blind and deaf and learnt to communicate to an advanced level did she not?

Reply 13

username878045

Original post by godd

We don't need language.

I can communicate to you via drawings like cavemen.

The fact humans can visualize and remember past uses of objects is what makes us smart.

I've argued with you on your various alts about this too much. You're wrong, and I cba to go through why for the second or third time.

Reply 14

godd

Original post by PythianLegume

I've argued with you on your various alts about this too much. You're wrong, and I cba to go through why for the second or third time.

Language I feel is not needed anywhere.

You can teach the biology curriculum in pictures/ movies. Students can answer by drawing what they remember.

Reply 15

username878045

Original post by godd

Language I feel is not needed anywhere.

You can teach the biology curriculum in pictures/ movies. Students can answer by drawing what they remember.

I really hope you're just a long-running troll and you don't genuinely believe this.

Reply 16

1concretejungle

Through complex emotions.

Reply 17

godd

Original post by PythianLegume

I really hope you're just a long-running troll and you don't genuinely believe this.

What came first, Language or the Senses?

Senses.

So what is superior. The Senses.

There is a video on TED showing how they can teach maths without language.

Reply 18

karmacrunch

Original post by TolerantBeing

Linguistic psychology is interesting.

Psycholinguistics! :ahee:

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Reply 19

godd

Original post by Plantagenet Crown

Helen Keller was blind and deaf and learnt to communicate to an advanced level did she not?

Imagine if you lost your capacity to speak spanish, you could still think in english. If you also lost your capacity to speak english, you could still think in images/sounds/smells/tastes.

So language layers above the senses, as a shortcut. It is not needed for human intelligence. It's like having a remote to open the door instead of pushing it yourself.