Re: Are 'spatial relations' Universals?

Anna Mazzoldi (mazzoldi@iol.ie)
Wed, 12 Jul 1995 18:16:08 GMT

sci.lang,sci.cognitive,bit.listserv.geograph,sci.anthropology:
gusty@clark.net (Harlan Messinger) wrote:

> An aspect of the spatial relations question that has interested me is the
> demonstrative and related concepts. English has "this" versus "that",
> though this/that/yon has existed. In other languages:

[examples deleted]

> What other variations exist?

Italian:

questo (or) questo qui = this (close to the speaker)
codesto (or) quello li' = that (close to the listener)
quello (or) quello la' = that (far from both speaker and listener)

The expression after the (or) is more colloquial, and not really
"standard" grammar at all.

These days, "codesto" is not really used (except in literarure,
grammar books and some regional dialects).

My 10 lire (are they still making those coins?)

--

Anna Mazzoldi

mazzoldi@iol.ie

Dublin, Ireland