Russians seem to avoid using N, S, E, W

[R. M. Cleminson]

Many American cities are on a grid plan with streets orientated north-south or east-west; moreover, if you're in New York, for example, you know that if it's a street, it's (roughly) east-west, the higher numbers being further north, and if it's an avenue it's (roughly) north-south, the higher numbers being further west.  Therefore compass directions are useful and comprehensible in this environment.  Elsewhere in the world, as a rule, streets are neither straight nor orientated, and so even if you knew where north was when you started out, after a few twists and turns you probably don't any more, and neither does the person you're asking for directions.

----- Originálna správa -----
Odosielateľ: "Mark Kingdom" <k2kingdom at GMAIL.COM>
Komu: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Dátum: štvrtok, september 2, 2010 04:09:23
Predmet: [SEELANGS] Russians seem to avoid using N, S, E, W

Living here in Sevastopol, I ask my share of directions to places.
I don't recall *ever* getting an answer where the speaker used
compass directions. It's always, "Go straight, then turn left..."
Granted, plenty of Americans use left, right, straight terminology,
but plenty *also* use compass directions. "Go east on 7th and then
turn north onto Broadway."

Is that a cultural thing, you think, or a linguistic one?

Just curious!

Thanks all for the help!

Mark

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