mentalese: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical/Academic
Quick answer
What does “mentalese” mean?
A hypothetical innate language of thought, a system of mental representation that underlies human cognition before it is expressed in any spoken language.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A hypothetical innate language of thought, a system of mental representation that underlies human cognition before it is expressed in any spoken language.
The concept of an internal, non-verbal symbolic code in which thinking and meaning are processed in the mind, often used in discussions of philosophy of mind, cognitive science, and psychology of language.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage between UK and US academic/technical contexts.
Connotations
Neutral theoretical term in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally rare in both UK and US English, confined to specialist literature.
Grammar
How to Use “mentalese” in a Sentence
the concept of ~argue for/against ~think in ~represent in ~Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “mentalese” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- No standard verb form.
American English
- No standard verb form.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverb form.
American English
- No standard adverb form.
adjective
British English
- No standard adjective form.
American English
- No standard adjective form.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in philosophy of mind, cognitive psychology, linguistics, and artificial intelligence discussions.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Key term in theories of mental representation and computational models of cognition.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “mentalese”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “mentalese”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “mentalese”
- Using it to mean 'mental state' or 'mindset'.
- Attempting to use it in non-academic contexts.
- Confusing it with 'mentality'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a theoretical construct in cognitive science. It is not a language anyone speaks or writes; it is a hypothesized system of mental representation.
While the concept is strongly associated with philosopher Jerry Fodor's 'language of thought' hypothesis, the specific blend 'mentalese' is widely used in the literature but does not have a single, definitive coinage attributed.
No, it is a controversial hypothesis. Alternatives include connectionist models that reject symbolic, language-like representations, and embodied cognition theories that ground thought in sensory-motor systems.
It would be highly unusual and likely misunderstood. It is a specialized academic term, not part of general vocabulary.
A hypothetical innate language of thought, a system of mental representation that underlies human cognition before it is expressed in any spoken language.
Mentalese is usually technical/academic in register.
Mentalese: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmen.təlˈiːz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmen.t̬əlˈiːz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Mentalese' is the mental 'language' you use 'ese'-entially before speaking.
Conceptual Metaphor
THINKING IS A LANGUAGE (internal, private, symbolic).
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'mentalese' primarily used?