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Lexicalisation of temperature concepts in Gbaya (an Ubanguian language of C.A.R.)

  • Paulette Roulon-Doko
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The Linguistics of Temperature
This chapter is in the book The Linguistics of Temperature

Abstract

This chapter provides a systematic description of the temperature terms found in Gbaya, an Ubanguian language spoken in Central Africa. Gbaya has very few nouns and verbs dedicated to temperature but many adjectives: verbal adjectives and ideophonic adjectives. I first present the word classes and the syntactic constructions involved in expressing temperature and examine the different systems of temperature terms with respect to the following five domains: weather conditions, body parts, the house, food, and water. I then indicate the main cultural specificities or metaphors used to refer to temperature. In conclusion, the domain of temperature in Gbaya is organised opposing two levels warm/cold and it is only by juxtaposing the many lexical and syntactic possibilities that an understanding of ways of expressing temperature emerges.

Abstract

This chapter provides a systematic description of the temperature terms found in Gbaya, an Ubanguian language spoken in Central Africa. Gbaya has very few nouns and verbs dedicated to temperature but many adjectives: verbal adjectives and ideophonic adjectives. I first present the word classes and the syntactic constructions involved in expressing temperature and examine the different systems of temperature terms with respect to the following five domains: weather conditions, body parts, the house, food, and water. I then indicate the main cultural specificities or metaphors used to refer to temperature. In conclusion, the domain of temperature in Gbaya is organised opposing two levels warm/cold and it is only by juxtaposing the many lexical and syntactic possibilities that an understanding of ways of expressing temperature emerges.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of Maps viii
  4. Acknowledgements x
  5. Introducing “The linguistics of temperature” 1
  6. PART 1. Africa
  7. “Hard sun, hot weather, skin pain” 43
  8. The semantics and metaphorical extensions of temperature terms in Gurenɛ 73
  9. Unravelling temperature terms in Sɛlɛɛ 107
  10. Lexicalisation of temperature concepts in Gbaya (an Ubanguian language of C.A.R.) 128
  11. Climate, temperature and polysemous patterns in French and Wolof 151
  12. Temperature terms in selected African languages 187
  13. PART 2. Eurasia
  14. Adjectives of temperature in Latvian 216
  15. What’s hot and what’s not in English and Serbian 254
  16. In the warmth of the Ukrainian temperature domain 300
  17. Asymmetries in Italian temperature terminology 333
  18. Temperature terms in Modern Greek 354
  19. Temperature terms in Modern Eastern Armenian 392
  20. Facts, feelings and temperature expressions in the Hindukush 440
  21. Blowing hot, hotter, and hotter yet 471
  22. Temperature adjectives in Finnish 491
  23. Temperature terms in Nganasan 537
  24. Temperature terms in Khalkha Mongolian 570
  25. Temperature terms in Lao, Southern Zhuang, Southern Pinghua and Cantonese 594
  26. Subdomains of temperature concepts in Japanese 639
  27. Why is it not cool? Temperature terms in Indonesian 666
  28. PART 3. The Americas
  29. Temperature domain in West Greenlandic 703
  30. “There is no thermostat in the forest” – the Ojibwe temperature term system 721
  31. Temperature terms and their meaning in Yucatec Maya (Mexico) 742
  32. Temperature terms in Mapudungun 776
  33. Temperature terms in Hup, a Nadahup language of Amazonia 792
  34. PART 4. Australia and Oceania
  35. Bardi temperature terms 815
  36. Temperature terms in northern Vanuatu 832
  37. Temperature terms in Kamang and Abui, two Papuan languages of Alor 858
  38. PART 5. Typology
  39. The syntax of temperature predications 889
  40. Subject Index 917
  41. Language Index 929
  42. Name Index 931
https://doi.org/10.1075/tsl.107.05rou

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of Maps viii
  4. Acknowledgements x
  5. Introducing “The linguistics of temperature” 1
  6. PART 1. Africa
  7. “Hard sun, hot weather, skin pain” 43
  8. The semantics and metaphorical extensions of temperature terms in Gurenɛ 73
  9. Unravelling temperature terms in Sɛlɛɛ 107
  10. Lexicalisation of temperature concepts in Gbaya (an Ubanguian language of C.A.R.) 128
  11. Climate, temperature and polysemous patterns in French and Wolof 151
  12. Temperature terms in selected African languages 187
  13. PART 2. Eurasia
  14. Adjectives of temperature in Latvian 216
  15. What’s hot and what’s not in English and Serbian 254
  16. In the warmth of the Ukrainian temperature domain 300
  17. Asymmetries in Italian temperature terminology 333
  18. Temperature terms in Modern Greek 354
  19. Temperature terms in Modern Eastern Armenian 392
  20. Facts, feelings and temperature expressions in the Hindukush 440
  21. Blowing hot, hotter, and hotter yet 471
  22. Temperature adjectives in Finnish 491
  23. Temperature terms in Nganasan 537
  24. Temperature terms in Khalkha Mongolian 570
  25. Temperature terms in Lao, Southern Zhuang, Southern Pinghua and Cantonese 594
  26. Subdomains of temperature concepts in Japanese 639
  27. Why is it not cool? Temperature terms in Indonesian 666
  28. PART 3. The Americas
  29. Temperature domain in West Greenlandic 703
  30. “There is no thermostat in the forest” – the Ojibwe temperature term system 721
  31. Temperature terms and their meaning in Yucatec Maya (Mexico) 742
  32. Temperature terms in Mapudungun 776
  33. Temperature terms in Hup, a Nadahup language of Amazonia 792
  34. PART 4. Australia and Oceania
  35. Bardi temperature terms 815
  36. Temperature terms in northern Vanuatu 832
  37. Temperature terms in Kamang and Abui, two Papuan languages of Alor 858
  38. PART 5. Typology
  39. The syntax of temperature predications 889
  40. Subject Index 917
  41. Language Index 929
  42. Name Index 931
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