Final Answer:
In the 1930s and '40s, Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf investigated the idea that language, by providing habitual grooves of expression, predisposes people to see the world in a certain way.
Step-by-step explanation:
Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf were prominent linguists whose work centered on the concept of linguistic relativity. This theory proposed that the structure and vocabulary of a language significantly shape or even determine the thoughts and perceptions of its speakers.
Sapir and Whorf's investigations focused on how language influences cognition and perception, suggesting that the nuances and limitations of language could mold individuals' understanding and interpretation of the world around them.
Their research suggested that the language one speaks can establish frameworks for thought, influencing how individuals perceive, categorize, and comprehend experiences and concepts. This notion implies that different languages may offer distinct perspectives on reality due to their unique linguistic structures, potentially leading speakers of these languages to perceive and interpret the world in contrasting ways.
Through their studies, Sapir and Whorf laid the groundwork for understanding the intricate relationship between language, culture, and cognition, shaping subsequent discourse in linguistic anthropology and cognitive science.