Temperature terms and their meaning in Yucatec Maya (Mexico)
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Olivier Le Guen
Abstract
Many authors suggest that temperature meaning is primarily defined through bodily experience (Goddard & Wierzbicka 2007; Koptjevskaja-Tamm & Rakhilina 2006). While this is probably the case for the basic meaning of many temperature terms around the world, some languages nonetheless use temperature terms to refer to categorical temperatures. Importantly, categorical temperature meaning need not be metaphorical, but may refer to a fixed thermal state of an entity (i.e. hot or cold) disregarding its actual temperature (as measurable with a thermometer). This paper explores how in Yucatec Maya, temperature terms are not only used for description of sensory, but also categorical temperatures. Such a system challenges the assumption that temperature conceptualisation would exclusively be defined anthropocentrically.
Abstract
Many authors suggest that temperature meaning is primarily defined through bodily experience (Goddard & Wierzbicka 2007; Koptjevskaja-Tamm & Rakhilina 2006). While this is probably the case for the basic meaning of many temperature terms around the world, some languages nonetheless use temperature terms to refer to categorical temperatures. Importantly, categorical temperature meaning need not be metaphorical, but may refer to a fixed thermal state of an entity (i.e. hot or cold) disregarding its actual temperature (as measurable with a thermometer). This paper explores how in Yucatec Maya, temperature terms are not only used for description of sensory, but also categorical temperatures. Such a system challenges the assumption that temperature conceptualisation would exclusively be defined anthropocentrically.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of Maps viii
- Acknowledgements x
- Introducing “The linguistics of temperature” 1
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PART 1. Africa
- “Hard sun, hot weather, skin pain” 43
- The semantics and metaphorical extensions of temperature terms in Gurenɛ 73
- Unravelling temperature terms in Sɛlɛɛ 107
- Lexicalisation of temperature concepts in Gbaya (an Ubanguian language of C.A.R.) 128
- Climate, temperature and polysemous patterns in French and Wolof 151
- Temperature terms in selected African languages 187
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PART 2. Eurasia
- Adjectives of temperature in Latvian 216
- What’s hot and what’s not in English and Serbian 254
- In the warmth of the Ukrainian temperature domain 300
- Asymmetries in Italian temperature terminology 333
- Temperature terms in Modern Greek 354
- Temperature terms in Modern Eastern Armenian 392
- Facts, feelings and temperature expressions in the Hindukush 440
- Blowing hot, hotter, and hotter yet 471
- Temperature adjectives in Finnish 491
- Temperature terms in Nganasan 537
- Temperature terms in Khalkha Mongolian 570
- Temperature terms in Lao, Southern Zhuang, Southern Pinghua and Cantonese 594
- Subdomains of temperature concepts in Japanese 639
- Why is it not cool? Temperature terms in Indonesian 666
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PART 3. The Americas
- Temperature domain in West Greenlandic 703
- “There is no thermostat in the forest” – the Ojibwe temperature term system 721
- Temperature terms and their meaning in Yucatec Maya (Mexico) 742
- Temperature terms in Mapudungun 776
- Temperature terms in Hup, a Nadahup language of Amazonia 792
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PART 4. Australia and Oceania
- Bardi temperature terms 815
- Temperature terms in northern Vanuatu 832
- Temperature terms in Kamang and Abui, two Papuan languages of Alor 858
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PART 5. Typology
- The syntax of temperature predications 889
- Subject Index 917
- Language Index 929
- Name Index 931
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of Maps viii
- Acknowledgements x
- Introducing “The linguistics of temperature” 1
-
PART 1. Africa
- “Hard sun, hot weather, skin pain” 43
- The semantics and metaphorical extensions of temperature terms in Gurenɛ 73
- Unravelling temperature terms in Sɛlɛɛ 107
- Lexicalisation of temperature concepts in Gbaya (an Ubanguian language of C.A.R.) 128
- Climate, temperature and polysemous patterns in French and Wolof 151
- Temperature terms in selected African languages 187
-
PART 2. Eurasia
- Adjectives of temperature in Latvian 216
- What’s hot and what’s not in English and Serbian 254
- In the warmth of the Ukrainian temperature domain 300
- Asymmetries in Italian temperature terminology 333
- Temperature terms in Modern Greek 354
- Temperature terms in Modern Eastern Armenian 392
- Facts, feelings and temperature expressions in the Hindukush 440
- Blowing hot, hotter, and hotter yet 471
- Temperature adjectives in Finnish 491
- Temperature terms in Nganasan 537
- Temperature terms in Khalkha Mongolian 570
- Temperature terms in Lao, Southern Zhuang, Southern Pinghua and Cantonese 594
- Subdomains of temperature concepts in Japanese 639
- Why is it not cool? Temperature terms in Indonesian 666
-
PART 3. The Americas
- Temperature domain in West Greenlandic 703
- “There is no thermostat in the forest” – the Ojibwe temperature term system 721
- Temperature terms and their meaning in Yucatec Maya (Mexico) 742
- Temperature terms in Mapudungun 776
- Temperature terms in Hup, a Nadahup language of Amazonia 792
-
PART 4. Australia and Oceania
- Bardi temperature terms 815
- Temperature terms in northern Vanuatu 832
- Temperature terms in Kamang and Abui, two Papuan languages of Alor 858
-
PART 5. Typology
- The syntax of temperature predications 889
- Subject Index 917
- Language Index 929
- Name Index 931
