Spatial communication systems across languages reflect universal action constraints

Bibliographic Data

ID4657289
AuthorsKenny R Coventry (0000-0003-2591-7723, University of East Anglia, corresponding author), Harmen B Gudde (0000-0003-0657-477X, University of East Anglia), Holger Diessel (0000-0002-4385-3287, Friedrich Schiller University Jena), Jacqueline Collier (0000-0003-0138-6569, University of East Anglia), Pedro Guijarro-Fuentes (0000-0002-4598-7414, Universitat de les Illes Balears), Mila Vulchanova (0000-0002-1299-9654, Norwegian University of Science and Technology), Valentin Vulchanov (Norwegian University of Science and Technology), Emanuela Todisco (0000-0003-2602-2868, Universitat de les Illes Balears), Maria Reile (0000-0003-1786-9426, University of Tartu), Merlijn Breunesse (0000-0002-4355-3479, Leiden University), Helen Plado (0000-0001-8764-3954, Võro Institute), Jürgen Bohnemeyer (0000-0003-2411-4291, University at Buffalo, State University of New York), Raed Bsili (0000-0002-1204-5447, Italian Institute of Technology), Michela Caldano (University of East Anglia), Rositsa Dekova (0000-0002-3120-4730, Plovdiv University), Katharine Donelson (University of Nevada, Reno), Diana Forker (0000-0003-4247-9163, Friedrich Schiller University Jena), Yesol Park (ETH Zurich), Lekhnath Sharma Pathak (0000-0002-8385-0515, Tribhuvan University), David Peeters (0000-0002-7974-9246, Tilburg University), Gabriella Pizzuto (0000-0002-8541-0759, University of Liverpool), Baris Serhan (0000-0003-4862-7008, University of Manchester), Linda Apse (0009-0000-0270-3007, University of Latvia), Franz Hesse (0000-0001-5940-7778, Friedrich Schiller University Jena), Linh Hoang, Linh Cao Hoang (0000-0002-5564-1599, Friedrich Schiller University Jena), Phuong Hoang, Phuong Nguyen Hoang (0000-0003-4331-562X, Friedrich Schiller University Jena), Yoko Igari (University of East Anglia), Keerthana Kapiley (0000-0002-2110-0313, University of Hyderabad), Tamar Haupt-Khutsishvili (0000-0002-2372-906X, Friedrich Schiller University Jena), Sara Kolding (0009-0003-1946-6687, Aarhus University), Katri Priiki (0000-0002-5615-1348, University of Turku), Ieva Mačiukaitytė (Vilnius University), Vaisnavi Mohite (0000-0002-9208-9879, University of Hyderabad), Tiina Nahkola (University of Tartu), Sum Yi Tsoi (0009-0005-4430-8722, University of East Anglia), Stefan Williams, Stefan B Williams (0000-0001-9416-5639, Norwegian University of Science and Technology), Shunei Yasuda, Angelo Cangelosi (0000-0002-4709-2243, University of Manchester), Jon Andoni Duñabeitia (0000-0002-3312-8559, Universidad Nebrija), Ramesh Kumar Mishra (0000-0001-6608-6036, University of Hyderabad), Roxane Rocca (0000-0001-9017-8088, Aarhus University), Roberta Rocca, Jurģis Šķilters (0000-0002-3235-970X, University of Latvia), Mikkel Wallentin (0000-0002-5509-9621, Aarhus University), Eglė Žilinskaitė-Šinkūnienė (0009-0009-8800-5394, Vilnius University), Ozlem Durmaz Incel (0000-0002-6229-7343, Bogaziçi University)
Year2023
Volume7
Issue12
Pages2099-2110
Publication date2023-10-30
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueNature Human Behaviour (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2397-3374 • E-ISSN: 2397-3374
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1038/s41562-023-01697-4
PMID37904020
OpenAlexW4388019963
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited57

The extent to which languages share properties reflecting the non-linguistic constraints of the speakers who speak them is key to the debate regarding the relationship between language and cognition. A critical case is spatial communication, where it has been argued that semantic universals should exist, if anywhere. Here, using an experimental paradigm able to separate variation within a language from variation between languages, we tested the use of spatial demonstratives-the most fundamental and frequent spatial terms across languages. In n = 874 speakers across 29 languages, we show that speakers of all tested languages use spatial demonstratives as a function of being able to reach or act on an object being referred to. In some languages, the position of the addressee is also relevant in selecting between demonstrative forms. Commonalities and differences across languages in spatial communication can be understood in terms of universal constraints on action shaping spatial language and cognition

Physics · Categorization, perception, and language · Computer Science · Geographic Information Systems Studies · Speech and dialogue systems

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