Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!homxb!houdi!marty1
From: marty1@houdi.UUCP (M.BRILLIANT)
Newsgroups: comp.cog-eng
Subject: Re: spatial reference in natural langua
Summary: Colonists occidented their maps
Message-ID: <1439@houdi.UUCP>
Date: 10 Dec 87 21:28:46 GMT
References: <6818@sunybcs.UUCP> <123300003@inmet>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Holmdel
Lines: 18


In article <123300003@inmet>, gjs@inmet.UUCP writes:
> 
> Some directions arise from language evolution.  Freeways have no
> entrances, only exits.  What is the origin of the term "down east" in
> Maine?

Travelers are told to hold their maps so the direction they face is up.

Early colonists were going west, so their maps were read with west up,
so east was down.

The Romans, of course, going east to conquer, "oriented" their maps,
so east was up.

M. B. Brilliant					Marty
AT&T-BL HO 3D-520	(201)-949-1858
Holmdel, NJ 07733	ihnp4!houdi!marty1