Categorization in Language

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I was asked to post this thread a couple days ago as an extention from a conversation in Chat.

Example of categorization diversity in language.

General English categorization of 'cat'
In english we use the general Linnean category system for biology, which he based from the already extant Indo-European folk category system of animals.
So we have as a prototype 'cat' normally house cat Felis sylvestrus

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@GoshisDead,

All words are concepts...

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@GoshisDead,

Different cultures have different value sets, so that would be reflected in that culture's categorizations. A culture that is interacting with the earth more intimately (like your example perhaps) may find it more helpful to categorize animals/plants according to their value as food, or their behavior, or their lethality (possibly the reason for the different categorization for mountain lion in your example?.)

On categorization and the mind: perhaps categories simplify language or communication. It seems to be a universal human trait to categorize things. Even if not formally, some sort of categorization process goes on the mind to aid in understanding the world/environment.

Here's the little mind experiment I performed to come up with that. I make and play guitars, so they have a particular importance to me. When someone tells me they have or have seen a guitar for sale, I immediately want more information about it, so I can categorize it in my mind. I can then better weigh the importance of this particular guitar to me. The different sub categories of guitars have different values to me, which may not be the case with the other person.

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Categorization in Language

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