from Siemens Siemens Siemens
language only makes mathematical thinking
words for numbers and their relationship influence each other a sense of numerical values
ability, numbers, and their relative value is related to the language: Researchers have found that deaf-mutes in Nicaragua who have never learned sign language for numbers higher than three have also no understanding of higher numbers. They managed even simple quantitative comparisons do not - because they lack a sense of proportions. The now in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) published study also provides important information for the mathematical early education of children.
often already been established by researchers that people from isolated indigenous people the value of large numbers do not capture and learn if they are not part of the local language. So there are two tribes in the Amazon that know no names for numeric values greater than five. Presented to them two rows, each with more than five objects in it, are they unable to decide which number the greater number of objects.
"Home Sign" language, knows only numbers to three
A research team from the University of Chicago has now examined more closely, such as language and number sense are related. They have carried out several experiments with deaf people in Nicaragua who had never learned the official sign language. Instead, these people used self-thought-out gestures, called "Home Signs "to communicate.
to see if the subjects can recognize and express numerical values, led the scientists first test with short video films. In these figures played an important role in the plot. After viewing the films, the "Home Signs" to a friends or relatives retell the story using their sign language. But they had difficulties to represent higher numbers of gestures. In a follow-up test, in which the particular number of objects should be named on maps, it was found that the "Home Signs" apparently have only gestures for numbers up to three.
generated Missing language thinking * Inability number relations
But not only that: a comparison of quantities of them was impossible for large numbers: If you have a number of more than three marks in a second series reproduce exactly, they did so, although this is not a number gestures were needed. According to scientists, is the root of the inability to understand high values therefore not in the inability to communicate these numbers, but in the inability to think they .
"It's not just the words important, but the understanding of linkages subject to the words - the fact that 'eight' is more than 'seven' and a less than ' nine ', "Susan Goldin-Meadow, professor of psychology at the University of Chicago said. "Without a set of number words to guide them, were able to communicating only with the self-developed characters deaf do not understand that numerical values together to build ."
Sprachgeschulte had no problems
were performed the same tests with hearing Nicaraguans who had never attended school, had they not hard to recognize the higher numbers and communicate. Even deaf-mutes, who dominated the American Sign Language (American Sign Language) could solve all the tasks without problems.
The study illustrates that the complexity of symbolic relationships in the learning of language, even in such seemingly simple things like the numerical values. It also shows how important it is that children learn as early mathematical concepts such as numbers and learn to establish the mind in such relationships and promote. (PNAS, 2011, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1015975108)
(University of Chicago, 09/02/2011)
*) The online service Siemens Siemens Siemens from Spektum science - Publisher dedicated above all, the natural sciences. The literary genre is beyond his ken. This should not prevent him to turn his attention to the linguistic expressions. Who Leave possible that the absence of something is the presence of something else "created", is possibly able to think of this . But the linguistic form is the natural Fiztpatrick thinking is not indifferent, not even the mathematical, as we learned just now.
J E. 
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