Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!hao!boulder!sunybcs!dmark
From: dmark@cs.buffalo.EDU (David Mark)
Newsgroups: comp.cog-eng
Subject: spatial reference in natural language
Message-ID: <6818@sunybcs.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 27-Nov-87 19:52:59 EST
Article-I.D.: sunybcs.6818
Posted: Fri Nov 27 19:52:59 1987
Date-Received: Mon, 30-Nov-87 00:20:10 EST
Sender: nobody@sunybcs.UUCP
Reply-To: dmark@sunybcs.UUCP (David Mark)
Organization: SUNY/Buffalo Cognitive Science group
Lines: 49
Keywords: spatial language, reference frames

HOW TO TELL WHICH WAY IS "UP"

David M. Mark, David Zubin, and Soteria Svorou
Cognitive Science Group, SUNY at Buffalo
_______________________________________________________________________

A group of us in the Cognitive Science group at SUNY at Buffalo
are interested in spatial reference in natural language.  Among
the many applications are automated navigation-aids for car drivers,
and natural-langauge interfaces for geographic information systems. 
One aspect of this topic involves the use of terms such as "up",
"down", "over", "out", "back", etc., in direction-giving and
other spatial language.

Reference frames are important aspects of spatial language.  Many
of us are used to a cartesian reference frame consisting of two
orthogonal coordinate axes.  However, in Hawaii and some other Pacific
Island, a polar coordinate system or radial grid is used, with
one funamental direction being the 'in-out' or 'seaward-mountainward'
axis, and the other being along the shoreline in one direction or the
other.

Also, while there appears to be a tendency to use "up" for north and 
"down" for south, there are many exceptions.  Some of these exceptions
seem to relate to:  hills, escarpments, and other topographic
elevation changes; river flow directions; social gradients;
wind directions (?); and perhaps others.

We would be interested in examples of the use of non-cartesian
coordinate systems for specifying directions, and also of uses of
"up", "down", and other such terms in direction-giving and
spatial reference.  Please be sure to include as much of the
following information as possible:
language of the 'informant' or situation; exact location of the
situation described; if possible, whether the 'informant' was a
newcomer or a long-time resident of the area referred to.

We will send a summary to all contributors, and summarize to the net if
there is interest.  Of course, we would like to hear from others 
working on the topic.

David M. Mark, Professor
Department of Geography, SUNY Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14260
(716) 636-2283

uucp:		..!{allegra,decvax,watmath,rocksanne}!sunybcs!dmark
csnet:		dmark@buffalo.csnet
internet:	dmark@joey.cs.buffalo.edu
bitnet:		GEODMM@UBVMS.BITNET