Thoughts and Language
Finnish language threatened by degeneration but enriched by neologisms
I remember hearing about this situation happening to other languages. I know it is happening to my mother tongue.
And I think that this phenomenon is probably the reason I somehow became more protective of my mother tongue. Of course, some things haven't changed - i.e I still don't listen to french music and I barely read articles in French - but I enjoy speaking French and I cherish all these expressions we have. There are certain things that can be said in French, which are hard to say in other languages and I think that's it's what this language - and other - are so beautiful. Languages shape our thoughts and the way we see the world and that's why I think they are so interesting.
And yes, even if it is true that "the language changes but the thoughts remain", I think that I can still hope that by learning a new language - Finnish - I will learn to understand more this foreign culture and why other human beings have evolved to think the way they do.
m.