[Lingtyp] absolute directionals/terms in Australian languages

[Claire Bowern]

Hi Dorothea,
Bardi uses a combination of compass and tide-based systems, which is
my absolute favourite 'land-based' system because it reverses every 6
hours. A logical extension of a rive-based system for people who have
no permanent surface fresh water in their environment.
Directions in Bardi also heavily involve placenames. That is, if you
ask where someone/something is, someone might answer 'northward', etc,
but more likely they will give an answer involving a placename.
Direction sequences are also often given in terms of place names. I
discuss this briefly in my Bardi grammar.
Claire

On Thu, Mar 3, 2016 at 5:07 PM, Dorothea Hoffmann
<hoffmann.dorothea at gmail.com> wrote:
> *** apologies for cross-posting***
>
>
> Dear all
>
>
> I am currently working on a spatial Frames of Reference paper on Australian
> languages and was wondering if some of you might be able to help me with a
> few questions about the use of compass- and/or landmark-based directionals
> in Australian languages.
>
> This is the (very general) information I have:
>
> The majority of Australian languages seem to have a compass-based system
> (usually a  2 or 4-way grid (of east-west-north-south)):
>
> Guugu Yimithirr (Havilland 1993, Levinson 2003)
> Warlpiri (Laughren 1978)
> Kayardild (Evans 1995)
> Bardi (Bowern 2012)
> Arrerrnte (Wilkins, 2006)
> Garrwa (Mushin 2013)
> Warrwa (McGregor 2006)
> Djarru/Jaru (Tsunoda 1995)
>
>
> Only a few seem to solely rely on a river-based (drainage) system
> (upstream/upriver/downstream/downriver):
>
> Jaminjung/Ngaliwurru (Schultze-Berndt 2006)
> Ngan’gityemerri (Reid 2011)
>
>
> Again, quite a number of languages employ a combination of a compass- and
> river-based system:
>
> Gooniyandi (McGregor 1990)
> Bunuba (Ramsey 2000)
> Ngandi (Heath 1978)
> Pilbara languages (including Martuthunira, Panyjima, Yindjibarndi) (Densch
> 1995)
> Yir Yoront (Alpher 1991)
> Ngarinyman(Jones 1994)
> Gurindji (Meakins 2011)
> Bilinarra (Meakins and Nordlinger 2014)
> Wardaman (Merlan 1994)
>
>
> Only few have a wind-based system:
>
> MalakMalak (Hoffmann)
> Matngele? (Hoffmann)
> Kala Lagaw Ya (Stirling 2011)
>
>
> And some do not employ any absolute terms:
>
> Murrinh-Paths (Gaby and Singer 2014)
>
>
> Do you know what systems other Australian languages are employ and do you
> have any references for those? Do you know of any cross-linguistics
> (including a world-wide sample of languages) overviews of absolute systems
> across languages? I have only been able to find Brown, Cecil (1983) “Where
> do Cardinal Direction Terms come from?” Anthropological Linguistics, 25(2),
> 121-161
>
>
> Thank you so much in advance for your help!
>
> Best regards,
>
> Dorothea
>
>
>
> Dorothea Hoffmann
> hoffmann.dorothea at gmail.com
>
>
>
>
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