Linguistic Determinism and Mutability: The Sapir-Whorf "Hypothesis" and Intercultural Communication

This paper discusses the so-called "Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis," which has long
been considered a factor in intercultural communication. It briefly discusses
empirical studies which have tended to validate the hypothesis, and then considers
the hypothesis from the standpoint of scientific and empirical research
requirements. It is shown that the hypothesis has never been formally defined
for testing, and that it therefore does not exist as a Scientifically testable thesis.
As a result, all studies which have attempted to interpret empirical data according
to the hypothesis are either flawed or invalid because they have tested something
other than the hypothesis. It is concluded that the Sapir-Whorf "Hypothesis"
exists only as a notion, and has no meaningful relation to intercultural
communication.