Does Language Influence Culture? - WSJ.com:
"In another study, English speakers watched the video of Janet Jackson's infamous 'wardrobe malfunction' (a wonderful nonagentive coinage introduced into the English language by Justin Timberlake), accompanied by one of two written reports. The reports were identical except in the last sentence where one used the agentive phrase 'ripped the costume' while the other said 'the costume ripped.' Even though everyone watched the same video and witnessed the ripping with their own eyes, language mattered. Not only did people who read 'ripped the costume' blame Justin Timberlake more, they also levied a whopping 53% more in fines."
