When time is not space: The social and linguistic construction of time intervals and temporal event relations in an Amazonian culture

Abstract

It is widely assumed that there is a natural, prelinguistic conceptual domain of time whose linguistic organization is universally structured via metaphoric mapping from the lexicon and grammar of space and motion. We challenge this assumption on the basis of our research on the Amondawa (Tupi Kawahib) language and culture of Amazonia. Using both observational data and structured field linguistic tasks, we show that linguistic space-time mapping at the constructional level is not a feature of the Amondawa language, and is not employed by Amondawa speakers (when speaking Amondawa). Amondawa does not recruit its extensive inventory of terms and constructions for spatial motion and location to express temporal relations. Amondawa also lacks a numerically based calendric system. To account for these data, and in opposition to a Universal Space-Time Mapping Hypothesis, we propose a Mediated Mapping Hypothesis, which accords causal importance to the numerical and artefact-based construction of time-based (as opposed to event-based) time interval systems.

Complementarity of Space and Time in Distance Representations

“…In fact, we cannot see what time actually is. Therefore, it is a matter of convention, which is useful only as long as we assume that A-and B-series of time are universally valid representations of time (see Everett, 2005;Sinha, Sinha, Zinken & Sampaio, 2011 for accounts of two different Amazonian tribes, who do not use such a system of temporal reference). Moreover, even in cultures which do use this system of temporal reference, language users do not seem to put a great importance to this particular distinction, as it typically goes unnoticed in our everyday speech and thought.…”

A monolingual mind can have two time lines: Exploring space-time mappings in Mandarin monolinguals

“…In the literature, the term mental time line (MTL) has been adopted as a typical and immediate way to account for such space-time interactions in the mind (Bonato et al, 2012). To date, interesting issues concerning MTL include, but are not limited to: cross-linguistic differences in temporal cognition (Boroditsky, 2001;Boroditsky et al, 2011;Fuhrman et al, 2011;Núñez & Sweetser, 2006), factors that may shape the construct of MTL (Bergen & Chan Lau, 2012;Fuhrman et al, 2011;Vallesi et al, 2014), directionalities of MTL (Fuhrman & Boroditsky, 2010;Ding et al, 2015), and the number of MTLs that a person can possess (Miles et al, 2011;Sinha et al, 2011). These questions have attracted much attention and controversy.…”

Spatiotemporal enabled Content-based Image Retrieval

“…These 'time-based' time intervals can be problematic when the concept of time is not perceived as independent from events and objects. Sinha et al (2011) show that in Amondawa culture and language the concept 'time' as an abstract domain independent of the events that occur 'in time' does not exist. For Amondawa people, time is not based on countable units but based upon the interplay between ecological facts in the natural environment and social structures (ibid.).…”