Socioculturally Mediated Responses to Environment Shaping Universals and Diversity in Spatial Language

Bill Palmer; Alice Rose Gaby; Jonathon Thomas Stephen Lum; Jonathan Schlossberg

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-63946-8_35

Socioculturally Mediated Responses to Environment Shaping Universals and Diversity in Spatial Language

Bill Palmer, Alice Rose Gaby, Jonathon Thomas Stephen Lum, Jonathan Schlossberg

Linguistics

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Paper › Other › peer-review

Abstract

This paper reports on an empirical experiment-based study testing the extent to which systems of linguistic spatial reference correlate with aspects of the physical environment in which a language community lives. We investigated linguistic spatial behaviour in two unrelated languages in both similar and contrasting locations, ranging from atoll islands to urban environments, using standardised tests whose results were subject to quantitative analysis. Our findings reveal significant variation in spatial referential strategy preference in the two languages. Some preferences correlated with environment (e.g. island vs. urban). However, others correlated with degree and nature of interaction with environment, and others with linguistic resources available to speakers. The findings demonstrate that spatial behaviour reflects a complex interplay of responses to environment; sociocultural interaction with environment; and speakers’ linguistic repertoire.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of Workshops and Posters at the 13th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2017)
Subtitle of host publication	Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography
Editors	P Fogliaroni, A Bellatore, E Clementini
Place of Publication	Cham Switzerland
Publisher	Springer
Pages	195-205
Number of pages	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63946-8_35
Publication status	Published - 4 Sept 2017

Publication series

Name	Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography
Publisher	Springer

Access to Document

10.1007/978-3-319-63946-8_35Licence: Unspecified

Thinking and talking about atolls: the role of environment in shaping language and our understanding of physical space
Gaby, A. (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI)) & Palmer, W. (Chief Investigator (CI))
Australian Research Council (ARC)
1/01/12 → 31/12/14
Project: Research

Cite this

Palmer, B., Gaby, A. R., Lum, J. T. S., & Schlossberg, J. (2017). Socioculturally Mediated Responses to Environment Shaping Universals and Diversity in Spatial Language. In P. Fogliaroni, A. Bellatore, & E. Clementini (Eds.), Proceedings of Workshops and Posters at the 13th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2017): Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography (pp. 195-205). (Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63946-8_35

Palmer, Bill ; Gaby, Alice Rose ; Lum, Jonathon Thomas Stephen et al. / Socioculturally Mediated Responses to Environment Shaping Universals and Diversity in Spatial Language. Proceedings of Workshops and Posters at the 13th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2017): Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography. editor / P Fogliaroni ; A Bellatore ; E Clementini. Cham Switzerland : Springer, 2017. pp. 195-205 (Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography).

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title = "Socioculturally Mediated Responses to Environment Shaping Universals and Diversity in Spatial Language",

abstract = "This paper reports on an empirical experiment-based study testing the extent to which systems of linguistic spatial reference correlate with aspects of the physical environment in which a language community lives. We investigated linguistic spatial behaviour in two unrelated languages in both similar and contrasting locations, ranging from atoll islands to urban environments, using standardised tests whose results were subject to quantitative analysis. Our findings reveal significant variation in spatial referential strategy preference in the two languages. Some preferences correlated with environment (e.g. island vs. urban). However, others correlated with degree and nature of interaction with environment, and others with linguistic resources available to speakers. The findings demonstrate that spatial behaviour reflects a complex interplay of responses to environment; sociocultural interaction with environment; and speakers{\textquoteright} linguistic repertoire.",

author = "Bill Palmer and Gaby, {Alice Rose} and Lum, {Jonathon Thomas Stephen} and Jonathan Schlossberg",

year = "2017",

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doi = "10.1007/978-3-319-63946-8_35",

language = "English",

series = "Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography",

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Palmer, B, Gaby, AR, Lum, JTS & Schlossberg, J 2017, Socioculturally Mediated Responses to Environment Shaping Universals and Diversity in Spatial Language. in P Fogliaroni, A Bellatore & E Clementini (eds), Proceedings of Workshops and Posters at the 13th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2017): Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography. Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography, Springer, Cham Switzerland, pp. 195-205. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-63946-8_35

Socioculturally Mediated Responses to Environment Shaping Universals and Diversity in Spatial Language. / Palmer, Bill; Gaby, Alice Rose; Lum, Jonathon Thomas Stephen et al.
Proceedings of Workshops and Posters at the 13th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2017): Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography. ed. / P Fogliaroni; A Bellatore; E Clementini. Cham Switzerland: Springer, 2017. p. 195-205 (Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference Paper › Other › peer-review

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AB - This paper reports on an empirical experiment-based study testing the extent to which systems of linguistic spatial reference correlate with aspects of the physical environment in which a language community lives. We investigated linguistic spatial behaviour in two unrelated languages in both similar and contrasting locations, ranging from atoll islands to urban environments, using standardised tests whose results were subject to quantitative analysis. Our findings reveal significant variation in spatial referential strategy preference in the two languages. Some preferences correlated with environment (e.g. island vs. urban). However, others correlated with degree and nature of interaction with environment, and others with linguistic resources available to speakers. The findings demonstrate that spatial behaviour reflects a complex interplay of responses to environment; sociocultural interaction with environment; and speakers’ linguistic repertoire.

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Palmer B, Gaby AR, Lum JTS, Schlossberg J. Socioculturally Mediated Responses to Environment Shaping Universals and Diversity in Spatial Language. In Fogliaroni P, Bellatore A, Clementini E, editors, Proceedings of Workshops and Posters at the 13th International Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT 2017): Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography. Cham Switzerland: Springer. 2017. p. 195-205. (Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography). doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-63946-8_35

Socioculturally Mediated Responses to Environment Shaping Universals and Diversity in Spatial Language

Abstract

Publication series

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Projects

Thinking and talking about atolls: the role of environment in shaping language and our understanding of physical space

Cite this