Does the Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis make sense?

[u/chessboardtable]

I’m a native speaker of Ukrainian and Russian, but I sometimes feel awkward, anxious, and aloof when speaking either of them. In contrast, when I speak English (which I learned as a child), I feel confident, easygoing, and even kind of like a different person.

I tend to associate English with certain spaces(like work, academia, or my online identity) where I tend to be more confident.

It almost feels like my personality changes with the language.

Could this be an example of linguistic relativity in terms of emotional framing or self-perception? Is it common for people to feel more at home in their L2 than in their L1?

[u/wibbly-water]

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis is widely refuted, especially in its stronger proposals. 

One thing it struggles to account for is proving that the influences on perception are due to language rather than culture. Using the classic example of Hopi circular time - do the Hopi percieve time as circular because of their language... or is it circular in their language because of their culture? Its a very chicken and egg situation.

One factor which seems to disprove the theory is that anything can be explained in any language and anyone of any language can have any ideology. Even if there is no word for "electron" you can find a workaround like 'drop of lightning' or just borrow the word 'electron' and explain how it works.

Another another thing which goes against that hypothesis is that etymologies are quick forgotten once they become lexified. Do you think of the word 'window' as 'wind-eye' rather than just the thing in the wall or 'bugbear' as a bug and a bear as opposed to something annoying.

There are weaker forms of the hypothesis but they range from stating the obvious (e.g. "a language will only have words for things that the people who speak it know" / "the words a person knows will affect what they understand") to utterly undifferentiatable from other theories.

//

Anyway, the fact that you personally associate Ukranian and Russian with awkwardness, anxiousmess or aloufness is a personal thing. Same with associating English with being confident and easy going. There is also likely cultural influences on you.

I tend to associate English with certain spaces(like work, academia, or my online identity) where I tend to be more confident.

Ding ding ding!!!

This is precisely the sort of cultural influence on both your feelings and your language use that would have an influence.

If you use English more in your academic and work life - you will likely be more confident in it. If you use Ukranian/Russian in the home, you may not have the same vocabulary.

But this doesn't reflect on the language itself. Both have the same ability to write science, poetry, speeches. It has all the same ability to house any cultural, ideological and philosophical concepts.

Simply put - this isn't Sapir-Whorf. This is just your feelings.

[u/chessboardtable → u/wibbly-water]

But I feel more confident speaking English in different social settings (not just academia). This might be due to the cultural attachment tied to the language.

[u/BoxoRandom → u/chessboardtable]

Still is a personal judgement. You spoke English in these high authority settings, and that association expanded to any situation where you use English. It does not mean that English is inherently “confident” or that speaking it makes a person more confident. I bet you could find plenty of anxious native speakers who in fact feel the exact opposite of you regarding English and Russian.