# Sapir-Whorf hypothesis and important words

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sapir-whorf-hypothesis-and-important-words/52760>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [February 1, 2001, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sapir-whorf-hypothesis-and-important-words/52760 "2001-02-01T19:49:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Avumede](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/avumede/32/7235_2.png) [@Avumede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avumede)\
**Post date:** [March 2, 2001, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sapir-whorf-hypothesis-and-important-words/52760/61 "2001-03-02T22:32:22Z")

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Just to address the original post: First of all, you are thinking of Zapf’s Law, not the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis. Zapf’s Law states that more frequently used words are shorter.

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis is something that no linguist believes in anymore. It was an interesting theory in the day, but it’s no longer credible. Language does not limit thought, although it could make expression of that thought more difficult.

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**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2001, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sapir-whorf-hypothesis-and-important-words/52760/62 "2001-03-03T15:05:32Z")

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I know that the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis is out of fashion in linguistic circles, but I know of at least one sociologist who believed (he died about a year ago) there’s evidence, at least for the weak form. See [http://baserv.uci.kun.nl/~los/Articles/cooc.html](http://baserv.uci.kun.nl/~los/Articles/cooc.html).

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