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The Linguistics of Inhabiting Space: Spatial Reference in the North‐East Ambae Language 1
Author(s) -
Hyslop Catriona
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
oceania
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 25
eISSN - 1834-4461
pISSN - 0029-8077
DOI - 10.1002/j.1834-4461.1999.tb02987.x
Subject(s) - deixis , space (punctuation) , austronesian languages , geography , linguistics , absolute (philosophy) , history , computer science , philosophy , epistemology
North‐East Ambae, a member of the Oceanic sub‐group of Austronesian, is spoken on the volcanic island of Ambae, in northern Vanuatu. Like many Austronesian languages, it has a complex system of spatial reference. In this paper I describe one aspect of this system, the use of the members of the word class of ‘directionals’. Directionals can be used to refer to both direction of movement and location in space, and involve the interaction between an absolute and a deictic system. The absolute system is based on a division of the environment that uses both the vertical axis and the landward‐seaward axis, although it also uses other divisions. Onto this absolute system is mapped a partially deictic system, such that each of the oppositions of the absolute system can be marked according to a three‐way distinction relative to the participants of the speech act. That the speakers are highly attuned to their environment is reflected in the use of this complex spatial reference system. The paper underlines the importance of detailed analyses of spatial reference systems in describing languages, reflecting the significance of such systems in common language use.