Blythe2016

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Blythe2016
BibType ARTICLE
Key Blythe2016
Author(s) Joe Blythe, Kinngirri Carmelita Mardigan, Mawurt Ernest Perdjert, Hywel Stoakes
Title Pointing out directions in Murrinhpatha
Editor(s)
Tag(s) EMCA, Indexical expressions, Multimodal action, Names, Avoidance, Deixis, Epistemics, Collaboration, Reference, Pointing
Publisher
Year 2016
Language English
City
Month
Journal Open Linguistics
Volume 2
Number 1
Pages 132–159
URL Link
DOI 10.1515/opli-2016-0007
ISBN
Organization
Institution
School
Type
Edition
Series
Howpublished
Book title
Chapter

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Abstract

Rather than using abstract directionals, speakers of the Australian Aboriginal language Murrinhpatha make reference to locations of interest using named landmarks, demonstratives and pointing. Building on a culturally prescribed avoidance for certain placenames, this study reports on the use of demonstratives, pointing and landmarks for direction giving. Whether or not pointing will be used, and which demonstratives will be selected is determined partly by the relative epistemic incline between interlocutors and partly by whether information about a location is being sought or being provided. The reliance on pointing for the representation of spatial vectors requires a construal of language that includes the visuo-corporal modality.

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