Linguistic factors in critical thinking

Abstract

Critical thinking is often taken as the demonstration of the learner to think critically and originally. Often, it is overlooked that the object of examination is the ‘surface structure’ of the spoken or printed sentences, but the ‘deep structure’ is not consideration. The probability of misjudgement is rather high because of varying degrees of access to different ‘registers’ of the language and expressive power into the prescribed language form of people from different classes of the society. This probability is higher when the language in question is a foreign language which is not available to all in the same proportion. This paper examines the process of ‘sign’ creation and the hurdles in the reading and responding to the non‐native ‘signs’. The paper later highlights the role a language can play in being judged as a critical thinker.

∗This paper is dedicated to Professor T.N Bharadwaja of Kota Open University (India).

Key words:

• Language acquisition
• language and class
• linguistic code
• semiotics

Notes

∗This paper is dedicated to Professor T.N Bharadwaja of Kota Open University (India).