Ethnogeographical categories in English and Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara

This study examines the contrastive lexical semantics of a selection of landscape terms in English and the Australian Aboriginal language, Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara. It argues that languages and cultures categorize the geographical environment in diverse ways. Common elements of classification are found across the languages, but it is argued that different priorities are given to these factors. Moreover, the study finds that there are language-specific aspects of the landscape terms, often motivated by culture and land use. Notably, this study presents ethnogeographical concepts as being anchored in an anthropocentric perspective, based on human vision and experience in space. The Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM) technique of semantic analysis is used throughout, and it is argued that this methodology provides an effective tool in the exploration of ethnogeographical categories.

Research highlights► Languages and cultures categorize the geographical environment in diverse ways. ► English and Pitjantjatjara/Yankunytjatjara landscape terms illustrate the diversity. ► Common elements of classification, but different priorities given to the factors. ► Language-specific aspects of landscape terms often motivated by culture and land use. ► Natural Semantic Metalanguage(NSM) used. Concepts based in human-centred perspective.