How do the Kuuk Thaayorre of Australia orient time?
For the Kuuk Thaayorre speakers, the passage of time was intimately tied to the cardinal directions. “We never told anyone which direction they were facing,” wrote Boroditsky. “The Kuuk Thaayorre knew that already and spontaneously used this spatial orientation to construct their representations of time.”
Where are the Kuuk Thaayorre?
The Thaayorre, or Kuuk Thaayore, are an Australian people living on the southwestern part of the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland in Australia, primarily in the settlement Pormpuraaw, having its foundation in the Edward River Mission.
Was is unique about the Kuuk Thaayorre Aboriginal groups language?
Kuuk Thaayorre is noted for its thoroughgoing use of sixteen words for absolute cardinal directions instead of words with relative senses (ahead, left, etc.) as is familiar in most languages.
How do you say hello in Kuuk Thaayorre?
The normal greeting in Kuuk Thaayorre is “Where are you going?” and the answer should be something like ” Southsoutheast, in the middle distance.” If you don’t know which way you’re facing, you can’t even get past “Hello.”
How many people speak Thaayorre?
Kuuk Thaayorre (Thayore) is a Paman language spoken in the settlement Pormpuraaw on the western part of the Cape York Peninsula, Queensland in Australia by the Thaayorre people. As of 2006, 250 of the 350 ethnic Thaayorre speak the language….Kuuk Thaayorre language.
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| ELP | Kuuk Thaayorre |
How do they say hello in Kuuk Thaayorre?
You would say something like, “Oh, there’s an ant on your southwest leg.” Or, “Move your cup to the north-northeast a little bit.” In fact, the way that you say “hello” in Kuuk Thaayorre is you say, “Which way are you going?” And the answer should be, “North-northeast in the far distance.
What do Kuuk Thaayorre people use instead of left to right?
Kuuk Thaayorre, like some other Australian Aboriginal languages, uses absolute cardinal directions. This means that instead of talking about left and right, ahead, behind, etc, they use compass directions (north, east, south, west).