Sense of self Quote by Dalai Lama
““I was just thinking … I was thinking that the difference between the Tibetan language and English might possibly suggest a basic difference of perspectives. In Tibetan, the word we use for ‘I’ and ‘me’ is ‘nga’ and the word we use for ‘us’ and ‘we’ is ‘ngatso.’ So on the basic level of the words themselves there is, in the Tibetan language, an intimate connection between ‘I’ as an individual and ‘we’ as the collective. ‘Ngatso,’ the word for ‘we,’ literally means something like ‘a collection of “I”s’ or ‘many “I”s.’ So it’s like multiple selves, this kind of idea. So when you are identifying with a wider group, becoming part of that group, it’s like extending the individual sense of self, rather than losing it. Whereas the English terms ‘we’ and ‘I’ seem to be completely unrelated, the roots of the words are different, they are not related….””
About This Quote
Source Talk: Intercultural Perspectives on Language, Dalai Lama, 2015
Language shapes perception; Tibetan terms link self and collective, unlike English.
In simple terms: Words influence how we see self and group.
Key Takeaway
Explore linguistic ties to identity.
Themes
culture
language
identity
collectivism
Mood
inquisitive
analytical
Type
philosophical
educational
When to use this quote
- education
- cross‑cultural dialogue
- team building
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
semantic relativity
self-concept
Questions to Reflect On
- How does language affect our sense of belonging?
- Can changing vocabulary shift societal values?
A Different Perspective
May oversimplify complex cultural nuances.
