Language Creates Thought

I heard about a study on NPR about language development in babies. The researchers looked into this to see just how much our minds are affected by language. The study showed signs that thought may develop after or, because of language. While I am unable to convey his persuasiveness here, the interviewed researcher was very convincing. This made me start wondering about the nature of human thought. What if human thought is caused, not by our brain, but by our language. Is sentience only possible because of speech? What if concepts like justice and courage only exist because we have names for them and the ability to talk about them? If abstract thought grows from language would a person be sentient if they were never taught language? Is human language the source of human intelligence? If abstract concepts are dependent upon language, is it possible to say that independent thought truly exists?