The linguistic encoding of space in Dâw
(2019)- Abstract
- Levinson (2003) provides evidence that distinct cultures display distinct spatial references that, as a consequence, impacts the linguistic encoding of spatial notions. This linguistic variation has fostered the interest of understanding the spatial domains responsible for the linguistic encoding of spatial information. According to Levinson and Wilkins (2006, p. 2), these domains consist in: the topological relation, indicating spatial coincidence between Figure (the referent to be localized in space) and Ground (reference point for the localization of the
Figure) and the system of Frames of Reference, a coordinate system describing the Figure-Ground relation when both are separated in space. The third domain involves... (More) - Levinson (2003) provides evidence that distinct cultures display distinct spatial references that, as a consequence, impacts the linguistic encoding of spatial notions. This linguistic variation has fostered the interest of understanding the spatial domains responsible for the linguistic encoding of spatial information. According to Levinson and Wilkins (2006, p. 2), these domains consist in: the topological relation, indicating spatial coincidence between Figure (the referent to be localized in space) and Ground (reference point for the localization of the
Figure) and the system of Frames of Reference, a coordinate system describing the Figure-Ground relation when both are separated in space. The third domain involves non-staticspatial reference, i.e. motion that applies for spatial scenes in which a Figure is moving with respect to a Ground. Consequently, one can raise the following questions: What are the gramatical and lexical resources a language displays for the expression of these domains and what are the underlying semantic patterns? Therefore, this work focussed on (1) a fine-grained description of language-specific resources expressing space and (2) the understanding of their semantics in Dâw - an Amazonian language from the small Naduhup family. One of the principal resources for expressing a spatial relationship between Figure and Ground could be identified in the verb complex. Here, complex predicates consisting of multiple locative roots can express intrinsic properties of the Figure and Ground, as well as information on the topological relation between Figure and Ground. Furthermore, a rich system of spatial postpositions was encountered that, in some cases, is motivated by inherent properties of the Ground. With respect to nouns, Dâw presents a system of nominal classification expressing the categories of what-nouns and where-nouns. Where the former refer to more bounded entities, the latter refer to less bounded entities such as places. This dichotomy manifests in the syntactic encoding of locative adjuncts expressing the Ground in locative clauses. This
work consequently presents aspects of the Dâw grammar focussing on the form classes in which spatial notions can be expressed.
(Less)
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https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/34e5c7c2-2887-4501-b6e1-141a192ea7f4
- author
- Obert, Karolin LU
- supervisor
- publishing date
- 2019
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Language of Space, Motion, Landscape, Linguistic Anthropology, Naduhup, Language Documentation
- pages
- 324 pages
- publisher
- University of São Paulo
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- id
- 34e5c7c2-2887-4501-b6e1-141a192ea7f4
- alternative location
- https://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/8/8139/tde-23102019-173847/publico/2019_KarolinObert_VCorr.pdf
- date added to LUP
- 2022-11-16 15:00:09
- date last changed
- 2022-11-18 15:20:21
@phdthesis{34e5c7c2-2887-4501-b6e1-141a192ea7f4,
abstract = {{Levinson (2003) provides evidence that distinct cultures display distinct spatial references that, as a consequence, impacts the linguistic encoding of spatial notions. This linguistic variation has fostered the interest of understanding the spatial domains responsible for the linguistic encoding of spatial information. According to Levinson and Wilkins (2006, p. 2), these domains consist in: the topological relation, indicating spatial coincidence between Figure (the referent to be localized in space) and Ground (reference point for the localization of the<br/>Figure) and the system of Frames of Reference, a coordinate system describing the Figure-Ground relation when both are separated in space. The third domain involves non-staticspatial reference, i.e. motion that applies for spatial scenes in which a Figure is moving with respect to a Ground. Consequently, one can raise the following questions: What are the gramatical and lexical resources a language displays for the expression of these domains and what are the underlying semantic patterns? Therefore, this work focussed on (1) a fine-grained description of language-specific resources expressing space and (2) the understanding of their semantics in Dâw - an Amazonian language from the small Naduhup family. One of the principal resources for expressing a spatial relationship between Figure and Ground could be identified in the verb complex. Here, complex predicates consisting of multiple locative roots can express intrinsic properties of the Figure and Ground, as well as information on the topological relation between Figure and Ground. Furthermore, a rich system of spatial postpositions was encountered that, in some cases, is motivated by inherent properties of the Ground. With respect to nouns, Dâw presents a system of nominal classification expressing the categories of what-nouns and where-nouns. Where the former refer to more bounded entities, the latter refer to less bounded entities such as places. This dichotomy manifests in the syntactic encoding of locative adjuncts expressing the Ground in locative clauses. This<br/>work consequently presents aspects of the Dâw grammar focussing on the form classes in which spatial notions can be expressed.<br/>}},
author = {{Obert, Karolin}},
keywords = {{Language of Space; Motion; Landscape; Linguistic Anthropology; Naduhup; Language Documentation}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{University of São Paulo}},
title = {{The linguistic encoding of space in Dâw}},
url = {{https://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/8/8139/tde-23102019-173847/publico/2019_KarolinObert_VCorr.pdf}},
year = {{2019}},
}