This article is interesting in that, while it's not the intention of the writer, it seems to point out some technical underpinnings for how language might impact culture. If a computer's handling of a language can vary so drastically, imagine how the human brain must deal with expressing or receiving complex thoughts through these.
I recall reading some discussion of this concept in the field of International Relations' Constructivist theory, but any salient links escape me now.
> If a computer's handling of a language can vary so drastically, imagine how the human brain must deal with expressing or receiving complex thoughts through these.
Orthography and language are not the same thing. Having a complex orthography has no bearing on processing complexity. If a language has a complex orthography, it may be hard to read and write, which are learned skills, but it won't be hard to speak and listen (which are naturally acquired skills given exposure to a language in the critical period).
That assumes that each of these properties exist in a vacuum, which is surely not the case. There's an obvious interaction between written and spoken language, and even without that, hundreds or thousands of years of differences in the written interactions and data transferred through reading within a culture could have immense impact on collective experiences and ways of thinking.
I recall reading some discussion of this concept in the field of International Relations' Constructivist theory, but any salient links escape me now.