Animacy and Inflectional Morphology across Languages

Santazilia, Ekaitz

doi:10.1163/9789004513068

Cited by 1 publication

(2 citation statements)

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“…Unlike the biological level which is assumed to be universally fixed and thus culturally and cognitively independent, the cognitive and linguistic levels allow for culturally biased variation (Trompenaars et al, 2021;Yamamoto, 1999). In fact, cross-linguistic and cross-cultural comparisons have shown not only that linguistic animacy is not dichotomous, but also that what speakers from different cultures perceive to be alive is not universal (Bayanati & Toivonen, 2019;Santazilia, 2022;Vihman, Nelson, & Kirby, 2018). Animacy is then a biological distinction between animate beings and inanimate objects encountered in the world, which goes through cultural and cognitive filters to ultimately be expressed linguistically (Santazilia, 2022;Yamamoto, 1999).…”

Section: Levels Of Organizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In fact, cross-linguistic and cross-cultural comparisons have shown not only that linguistic animacy is not dichotomous, but also that what speakers from different cultures perceive to be alive is not universal (Bayanati & Toivonen, 2019;Santazilia, 2022;Vihman, Nelson, & Kirby, 2018). Animacy is then a biological distinction between animate beings and inanimate objects encountered in the world, which goes through cultural and cognitive filters to ultimately be expressed linguistically (Santazilia, 2022;Yamamoto, 1999). Furthermore, these filters have been greatly influenced not only by inherent properties such as being biologically alive or by cultural or even circumstantial factors, but also by theocentric, philosophical, and even sociopolitical factors (Bayanati & Toivonen, 2019;Trompenaars et al, 2021;Vihman, Nelson, & Kirby, 2018).…”

Section: Levels Of Organizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Plantness, Animalness, and Humanness: plant placement within animacy and adjacent scales

Lubbe,

Castillo Alfonzo

2024

J Theory Soc Behav

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Animacy is an important framework through which humans view and categorize the world, but many objects do not easily fit within this scale. Plants are unique because they are very familiar to humans, yet the features and traits relevant for placement within the animacy scale are generally poorly understood by the public. Animacy occurs at three levels, with the inherent attributes of the object (biology), how they are perceived (cognition), and how they are expressed in languages (linguistics). Animacy is dependent on qualification and perception as alive, mobile, and intentional. In the absence of visible movement, classification is dependent on featural attributes indicating mobility or placement in a group recognized as animate (animalness). Plants have complicated bodies whose forms and structures are frequently clear representations of their life history and function (plantness), more than many animals, yet these signs of movement and activity are rarely recognized. The animacy scale may be more closely based on human similarity (humanness) with humans as the peak of life, mobility, and intentionality. As humans, we can have an anthropocentric viewpoint, rendering plants as scenery or utility, or use anthropomorphic interaction to better understand and recognize the dynamic lives of plants. The goal of this review is to compare the current evidence on the placement of plants within animacy and adjacent scales with the biology and habit of land plants, to better understand human perception and behaviour, and work with this process to educate and inform people about the complex lives of plants.

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