We examined moral judgments in three types of language: a native national language (Italian), a non-native foreign language (English), and a native regional language (Venetian, oral and colloquial). We used the Moral Foundation Questionnaire to investigate cross-linguistic differences in multiple aspects of morality. Higher scores in the Harm, Purity and Fairness dimensions were obtained in the foreign and the regional language with respect to the national language. In addition, higher scores in the Ingroup dimension were obtained in the foreign language with respect to the native language. The effects of language on morality can thus be quite pervasive, involving a variety of aspects of morality. The differences we observed across these languages are explained in terms of their sociolinguistics – specifically, the greater use of national languages with moral values and beliefs. It is proposed that language effects arise because the language that is used activates information associated with it.

我们考察了三种语言的道德判断：母语（意大利语）、非母语外语（英语）和母语（威尼斯语、口语和口语）。我们使用道德基础问卷调查道德多个方面的跨语言差异。与国语相比，外语和地方语言在危害性、纯洁性和公平性维度上获得了更高的分数。此外，外语在群体维度上的得分高于母语。因此，语言对道德的影响是相当普遍的，涉及道德的各个方面。我们在这些语言中观察到的差异可以用它们的社会语言学来解释——具体来说，更多地使用带有道德价值观和信仰的民族语言。有人提出，语言效应的产生是因为所使用的语言激活了与之相关的信息。