The essential difference between English and Chinese as explored from a blank-sign perspective

Abstract English and Chinese are two quite different languages, the distinctive features of which take on various forms, but cannot reflect the fundamental differences between them in the most general sense. By analyzing key features such as hypotaxis vs. parataxis and rigidity vs. flexibility, I argue that the essential difference between the two languages lies in their contrasting use of concreteness and void. English, with its rich morphological and syntactic markers, tends to emphasize concrete, definite structures, facilitating clear, logical, and linear thinking. In contrast, Chinese, with its sparse cohesive devices and implicit relationships, allows a more flexible, open-ended interpretation, reflecting a cognitive tendency toward abstract, holistic thinking. This flexibility in Chinese facilitates a higher tolerance for ambiguity, often leaving space for multiple interpretations. I suggest that these linguistic distinctions are deeply tied to the respective ways of thinking in the two cultures, with English reflecting an analytic, individualistic mindset and Chinese expressing a more holistic, collective orientation.