Is space-time metaphorical mapping universal?
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Chris Sinha
Abstract
Space and time are often thought to be closely related, if conceptually distinct, cognitive and semantic domains. “Time as space” is a common conceptual and linguistic metaphor in diverse languages, and it has been proposed that this is a universal of human thought and language. This proposal, and the related assumption that the domain of “time as such” is equivalently given for all languages and cultures, are criticized. Research on crosslinguistic variation in the language of space and time needs to supplement experimental studies with the ethnographic linguistic exploration of the more profoundly intercultural sources of language variation, situated in diverse, multi-level material-symbolic socio-cognitive artefacts and niches.
Abstract
Space and time are often thought to be closely related, if conceptually distinct, cognitive and semantic domains. “Time as space” is a common conceptual and linguistic metaphor in diverse languages, and it has been proposed that this is a universal of human thought and language. This proposal, and the related assumption that the domain of “time as such” is equivalently given for all languages and cultures, are criticized. Research on crosslinguistic variation in the language of space and time needs to supplement experimental studies with the ethnographic linguistic exploration of the more profoundly intercultural sources of language variation, situated in diverse, multi-level material-symbolic socio-cognitive artefacts and niches.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Editors and contributors vii
- Foreword ix
- Introduction 1
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Part I. Multilingual contrasts: Interfaces and integrations
- Methodological approaches in the study of linguistic relativity 17
- Frequency of use and basic vocabulary 45
- A contrastive study of colour terms in French and German causal constructions 73
- Compound verbs in English and Bulgarian and the relativity debate 97
- HERE, NEAR, FAR 121
- Cognitive maps of landmark orientation 151
- Is space-time metaphorical mapping universal? 183
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Part II. Bilingual processing: Language representation and language use
- Efficiency of the bilingual mind 205
- About phonological, grammatical, and semantic accents in bilinguals’ language use and their cause 229
- Aging and bilingual processing 263
- L1-based prototypicality effects in L2 vocabulary learning 287
- Finding a wooden jandal in the jandal wood 309
- Name index 333
- Subject index 335
- Language index 337
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Editors and contributors vii
- Foreword ix
- Introduction 1
-
Part I. Multilingual contrasts: Interfaces and integrations
- Methodological approaches in the study of linguistic relativity 17
- Frequency of use and basic vocabulary 45
- A contrastive study of colour terms in French and German causal constructions 73
- Compound verbs in English and Bulgarian and the relativity debate 97
- HERE, NEAR, FAR 121
- Cognitive maps of landmark orientation 151
- Is space-time metaphorical mapping universal? 183
-
Part II. Bilingual processing: Language representation and language use
- Efficiency of the bilingual mind 205
- About phonological, grammatical, and semantic accents in bilinguals’ language use and their cause 229
- Aging and bilingual processing 263
- L1-based prototypicality effects in L2 vocabulary learning 287
- Finding a wooden jandal in the jandal wood 309
- Name index 333
- Subject index 335
- Language index 337
