Semantic typology and spatial conceptualization

Language Vol/Iss. 74(3) Linguistic Society of America Published In Pages: 557-589
By Pederson, Eric, Danziger, Eve, Wilkins, David, Levinson, Stephen C., Kita, Sotaro, Senft, Gunter

Hypothesis

Users of language systems with differing (relative vs. absolute) linguistic frames of reference will use correspondingly relative or absolute nonlinguistic spatial problem-solving strategies (574).

Note

Data used for coding absolute vs. relative descriptors and strategies was collected by giving participants standardized tasks designed to reveal these distinctions if present.

Test

Test NameSupportSignificanceCoefficientTail
Mann-Whitney U testSupportedp < 0.001UNKNOWNUNKNOWN