24 Sense of place: Space, landscape, and orientation
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Gary Holton
Abstract
The languages of Native North America reflect deep connections to place, as evidenced in systems of orientation, landscape classification, and place naming strategies. Along with language, land is a defining feature of Native North American identity. To be Diné or Inupiaq or Kanien’kehá:ka is to identify with Diné or Inupiaq or Kanien’kehá:ka country. Language gives shape to the land and reveals a unique and storied landscape. Rather than relying on cardinal directions, many Native North American languages make use of systems of orientation which are anchored in the landscape. Landscape terminologies recognize culturally-significant distinctions, such as the Siberian Yupik distinction between sea ice which is safe to walk on and sea ice which is dangerous. Place-naming strategies also differ markedly from those found in colonizing languages. Many Native North American languages reject commemorative names in favor of ecological or topographic names. In this chapter we provide examples of some of the typical spatial features of North American languages, while also highlighting features which are unique and typologically unusual as compared to non-North American languages. We conclude with a discussion of the role of sense of place in language maintenance and reclamation efforts, including community-based mapping initiatives and participatory geographic information systems.
Abstract
The languages of Native North America reflect deep connections to place, as evidenced in systems of orientation, landscape classification, and place naming strategies. Along with language, land is a defining feature of Native North American identity. To be Diné or Inupiaq or Kanien’kehá:ka is to identify with Diné or Inupiaq or Kanien’kehá:ka country. Language gives shape to the land and reveals a unique and storied landscape. Rather than relying on cardinal directions, many Native North American languages make use of systems of orientation which are anchored in the landscape. Landscape terminologies recognize culturally-significant distinctions, such as the Siberian Yupik distinction between sea ice which is safe to walk on and sea ice which is dangerous. Place-naming strategies also differ markedly from those found in colonizing languages. Many Native North American languages reject commemorative names in favor of ecological or topographic names. In this chapter we provide examples of some of the typical spatial features of North American languages, while also highlighting features which are unique and typologically unusual as compared to non-North American languages. We conclude with a discussion of the role of sense of place in language maintenance and reclamation efforts, including community-based mapping initiatives and participatory geographic information systems.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Table of contents VII
- List of North American families, languages, and dialects XIII
- Maps XLI
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I Sounds and sound structure
- 1 Acoustic phonetics 1
- 2 Articulatory phonetics 39
- 3 Tone 63
- 4 Segmental phonology 89
- 5 Prosodic morphology 109
- 6 Word prosody 135
- 7 Prosody beyond the word 155
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II Words
- 8 What is a word? 183
- 9 Word classes 205
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III Sentences
- 10 Syntax within the clause 247
- 11 Negatives 267
- 12 Questions and requests in North American languages 283
- 13 Information structure 305
- 14 Clause-combining: Relative clauses 323
- 15 Clause combining: Syntax of subordination and complementation 345
- 16 Switch-reference and event cohesion 363
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IV Discourse
- 17 Verbal art 385
- 18 Conversation structure 421
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V Meaning
- 19 Lexicalization and lexical meaning 453
- 20 Lexicography 479
- 21 Evidentiality 497
- 22 Pluractionality and distributivity 511
- 23 Mass and count nouns 527
- 24 Sense of place: Space, landscape, and orientation 547
- 25 A sense of time and world 577
- 26 Pragmatics 599
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VI Languages over space and time
- 27 Languages as dynamic systems: How grammar can emerge 619
- 28 Language contact and linguistic areas 647
- 29 Language classification 669
- 30 Archival-based sociolinguistic variation 689
- 31 Community-based sociolinguistic variation 701
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Table of contents VII
- List of North American families, languages, and dialects XIII
- Maps XLI
-
I Sounds and sound structure
- 1 Acoustic phonetics 1
- 2 Articulatory phonetics 39
- 3 Tone 63
- 4 Segmental phonology 89
- 5 Prosodic morphology 109
- 6 Word prosody 135
- 7 Prosody beyond the word 155
-
II Words
- 8 What is a word? 183
- 9 Word classes 205
-
III Sentences
- 10 Syntax within the clause 247
- 11 Negatives 267
- 12 Questions and requests in North American languages 283
- 13 Information structure 305
- 14 Clause-combining: Relative clauses 323
- 15 Clause combining: Syntax of subordination and complementation 345
- 16 Switch-reference and event cohesion 363
-
IV Discourse
- 17 Verbal art 385
- 18 Conversation structure 421
-
V Meaning
- 19 Lexicalization and lexical meaning 453
- 20 Lexicography 479
- 21 Evidentiality 497
- 22 Pluractionality and distributivity 511
- 23 Mass and count nouns 527
- 24 Sense of place: Space, landscape, and orientation 547
- 25 A sense of time and world 577
- 26 Pragmatics 599
-
VI Languages over space and time
- 27 Languages as dynamic systems: How grammar can emerge 619
- 28 Language contact and linguistic areas 647
- 29 Language classification 669
- 30 Archival-based sociolinguistic variation 689
- 31 Community-based sociolinguistic variation 701
