On the question of space notions formation in different system languages
I. Space notions reflected in a language have always been the object of linguistic
scientific interest, among them the terms, noting cardinal points of the world.
The cardinal direction terms of the Turkic and Indo-European languages have
been the special subject of etymological,ethnolinguistic analysis. (Kononov
A.,Brown, Cecil H.) The present paper compiles cross languages data attesting
to regular universal and specific extentions in the development of nomenclature
for the four cardinal directions, north, south, west and east, in Kazak, Russian
and other languages.
II. The comparative method of historical linguistics as well as comparative
typological one provide direct evidence of regularities in the development of
terms for cardinal directions. The reconstructured histories of terms for north,
south, east and west in two unrelated genetic groupings of languages, Indo-European
and Polynesian, show a number of parallels ( Bown, Cecil H.) Terms for east
and west in these languages are largely derived from words such as "dawn",
"morning", "to rise", "evening", "going down",
etc. In Slavic languages they are mostly connected with the words "day"
and "night", ex. Russian, Polish polden "south"; polnoch
"north". Approximately in the XV century they were forced out by yug
and sever, the etimologies of which are still under discussion. The investigations
in Turkic languages outline linear and color systems classification of cardinal
direction terms (Kononov A.). Linear system includes four positions, three of
them have cultural significance and are connected with eastward, southward and
northward facing canonical orientation.
III. A survey of cardinal directions terms in different system languages reveals
that nomenclatural development involves the following lexical source areas,
among them celestial bodies and events, "left-right sides" terms extention;
atmosphere features, color orientation; environment specific features; other
more general directions.
IV. Striking similarity is observed in the eastward facing canonical orientation
and certainly relates to the fact that the east is often of great salience for
people since it is the place of the sun's rising. Another similarity is connected
with the developed terms for north and south through extension of terms for
left side and /or the right side of a human body to these cardinal directions.
"Right and left transcend the limits of our body to embrace the universe"
(Hertz R.)In Turkic languages, in addition, we observe traces of Southern Chinese
Orientation, connected with the basic direction towards the south.
V. The formation of the system of space notions, connected with the cardinal
points of the world in different languages reveal cognitive processes in recognizing
and forming the peculiar space system, based on the human experience, connected
with the knowledge of a human body. Anthropocentrism was naturally characteristic
at the initial stages of the human cognition. Other aspects of human experience
connected with the knowledge about the movement of the sun, geographical surrounding
and star constellations, contributed to this system, replete with identifying
different peoples' peculiar, specific religious, ethnographic views.