Linguistic Relativity in Contemporary Cinema

The idea that language might influence one’s worldview and perspective has long perplexed scholars and attracted attention. Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, also known as linguistic relativity, proposes that one’s native language is the window to their reality and influences individuals’ perception of the world. Although the strong version of the Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, which suggests language determines one’s worldview and thought, is largely rejected today, the Neo-Whorfian tradition that emphasizes language’s impact on conceptual categories such as time remains an intellectual topic of debate. Accordingly, this study employs a qualitative research methodology and examines the science fiction movies Arrival (2016), Avatar (2009, 2022), and Dune (2021, 2024), whose protagonists adopt a conlang during the course of the movies, through the lens of linguistic relativity. Throughout the study, it was observed that, with the help of the new language and culture they acquired, the protagonists have undergone shifts in their character as well as their perception of the world. Although these changes did not stem from language alone, the findings indicate that language was a contributing factor in shaping the protagonists' conceptual categories and worldview.