Ted Chiang’s “Story of Your Life” raises the question of how language impacts the way we perceive the world. The aliens in the story saw time with dimensions because of their language. They write by combining logo grams which could be oriented in various ways and as if they know their endpoint and the fastest process to arrive at it. This writing style ultimately rubbed off onto the narrator who had been confusingly inserting past stories of her daughter in a future tense. Once we arrive at the conclusion it makes sense how she now sees the past and future synonymously.
Other than the difference in time perception, there were several more differences in heptapod language versus human languages and speech. The first one noticed was that the heptapods did not have a vocal track to make sounds similar to human speech. They conceptually understood concepts that are very complex to humans and did not understand the ones that are simpler very well. The speech did not seem to have any defined structure. The extreme symmetry of the heptapods may have something to do with the way their language developed. I imagine that our movement and senses play a major factor in language development. I am very curious as to how the world as the heptapods view it seems.
It is interesting that because they are aware of such linguistic contrasts, the scientists explore even simple concepts such as first person pronouns in order to understand the heptapods. After making many friends at NYU Shanghai with very different language backgrounds, I have learned there are slight ways which language makes the world look different. This short story explores the extreme differences but still left me wondering in what ways am I unaware that my perception is distinct. Must I question the things that seem very obvious to me in order to understand new perspectives?
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