To investigate how language influences thought, researchers compared the color terminology and perception of English speakers, who have 11 color words, and the Dani people of Papua New Guinea, who have only two words for color (one for light and one for dark). Despite the hypothesis that having fewer color terms might limit their conceptualization of color, the Dani could distinguish colors just as effectively as English speakers. This finding demonstrates that having fewer words at their disposal does not necessarily restrict perceptual abilities (Berlin & Kay, 1969).