This brochure discusses, in lay terms, the degree to which language shapes thought. The first section describes briefly the questions that linguists have addressed in studying this issue, including how things such as location or time may be conceptualized differently in different language groups, offering examples from other languages in addition to English. The degree to which thought requires language is examined, and distinguished from the degree to which language aids in categorizing information. It is concluded that learning a different language will not change the way an individual thinks but may give insight into the way others do. (MSE)