Spatial coordinate systems in demonstrative meaning
(2008) In Linguistic Typology 12(1). p.99-142- Abstract
- Exploring the semantic encoding of a group of crosslinguistically uncommon "spatial-coordinate demonstratives", this work establishes the existence of demonstratives whose function is to project angular search domains, thus invoking proper coordinate systems (or "frames of reference"). What is special about these distinctions is that they rely on a spatial asymmetry in relativizing a demonstrative referent (representing the Figure) to the deictic center (representing the Ground). A semantic typology of such demonstratives is constructed based on the nature of the asymmetries they employ. A major distinction is proposed between asymmetries outside the deictic Figure-Ground array (e.g., features of the larger environment) and those within it... (More)
- Exploring the semantic encoding of a group of crosslinguistically uncommon "spatial-coordinate demonstratives", this work establishes the existence of demonstratives whose function is to project angular search domains, thus invoking proper coordinate systems (or "frames of reference"). What is special about these distinctions is that they rely on a spatial asymmetry in relativizing a demonstrative referent (representing the Figure) to the deictic center (representing the Ground). A semantic typology of such demonstratives is constructed based on the nature of the asymmetries they employ. A major distinction is proposed between asymmetries outside the deictic Figure-Ground array (e.g., features of the larger environment) and those within it (e.g., facets of the speaker/addressee dyad). A unique system of the latter type, present in Jahai, an Aslian (Mon-Khmer) language spoken by groups of hunter-gatherers in the Malay Peninsula, is introduced and explored in detail using elicited data as well as natural conversational data captured on video. Although crosslinguistically unusual, spatial-coordinate demonstratives sit at the interface of issues central to current discourse in semantic-pragmatic theory: demonstrative function, deictic layout, and spatial frames of reference. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/1241533
- author
- Burenhult, Niclas LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2008
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- deixis, demonstratives, figure-ground, frame of reference, Jahai, semantic typology, space
- in
- Linguistic Typology
- volume
- 12
- issue
- 1
- pages
- 99 - 142
- publisher
- De Gruyter
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:60949597014
- ISSN
- 1430-0532
- DOI
- 10.1515/LITY.2008.032
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Linguistics and Phonetics (015010003)
- id
- 85567bb6-5cb5-4431-8678-590b515ae0a2 (old id 1241533)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-04 07:48:01
- date last changed
- 2023-11-15 05:33:18
@article{85567bb6-5cb5-4431-8678-590b515ae0a2,
abstract = {{Exploring the semantic encoding of a group of crosslinguistically uncommon "spatial-coordinate demonstratives", this work establishes the existence of demonstratives whose function is to project angular search domains, thus invoking proper coordinate systems (or "frames of reference"). What is special about these distinctions is that they rely on a spatial asymmetry in relativizing a demonstrative referent (representing the Figure) to the deictic center (representing the Ground). A semantic typology of such demonstratives is constructed based on the nature of the asymmetries they employ. A major distinction is proposed between asymmetries outside the deictic Figure-Ground array (e.g., features of the larger environment) and those within it (e.g., facets of the speaker/addressee dyad). A unique system of the latter type, present in Jahai, an Aslian (Mon-Khmer) language spoken by groups of hunter-gatherers in the Malay Peninsula, is introduced and explored in detail using elicited data as well as natural conversational data captured on video. Although crosslinguistically unusual, spatial-coordinate demonstratives sit at the interface of issues central to current discourse in semantic-pragmatic theory: demonstrative function, deictic layout, and spatial frames of reference.}},
author = {{Burenhult, Niclas}},
issn = {{1430-0532}},
keywords = {{deixis; demonstratives; figure-ground; frame of reference; Jahai; semantic typology; space}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
pages = {{99--142}},
publisher = {{De Gruyter}},
series = {{Linguistic Typology}},
title = {{Spatial coordinate systems in demonstrative meaning}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/5152207/8837578.pdf}},
doi = {{10.1515/LITY.2008.032}},
volume = {{12}},
year = {{2008}},
}