Universal #1178
Legacy number: 1178
| Number | 1174 |
| Original | If in a given language a term for a cardinal direction is introduced, then the sun provides the most likely model to be selected. If new terms for cardinal directions ‘east’ and ‘west’ are acquired, then most likely these terms are derived from expressions relating, respectively, to the rising and setting sun. |
| Standardized | IF the terms for a cardinal direction are introduced, THEN the sun provides the most likely model to be selected. IF new terms for cardinal directions ‘east’ and ‘west’ are acquired, THEN most likely these terms are derived from expressions relating, respectively, to the rising and setting sun. |
| Keywords | spatial orientation |
| Domain | lexicon |
| Type | target < source |
| Status | diachronic |
| Quality | statistical |
| Basis | 127 languages surveyed in Brown 1983 |
| Source | Brown 1983, Heine 1997: 50 (review) |
Discussion
Notes
The sun-model has been chosen, respectively, in 84% (59 of 70) and 79% (58 of 73) of all languages considered where a term for ‘west’ or ‘east’ was developed.
Comment
The sun-model has been chosen, respectively, in 84% (59 of 70) and 79% (58 of 73) of all languages considered where a term for 'west' or 'east' was developed.
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