I tend to think that one's native language influences cognitive processes. I can't think of any good examples right now, but...

Language is very much tied in with how a culture has historically categorized and classified things, people, and ideas. Not that this cannot be transcended...

J'aime le langue français. But I am at a pitiful level, having forgotten most of what I learned in college. If you actually decide to study the language and want a study partner, let me know... I need some form of external discipline to keep me studying on a regular basis.