Doctoral dissertation research: The interpretation of perspectival expressions in Bulu

Ohio State University, The, Columbus OH

Investigators

Abstract

Language allows speakers to represent their own perspective or some other perspective. In spatial language, for example, in one context an expression like "to the left of" can be understood to refer to the left of the speaker, or, in another context, to the left of the addressee or some other individual whose perspective is adopted. Recent research has shown that expressions with perspective-dependent meanings are pervasive in natural language. However, there is no consensus on what the full range of such expressions is, or how participants in a conversation use contextual information to determine which perspective is being adopted. Furthermore, there is very little research on how perspective-dependent expressions work in languages other than English. However, these are important topics due to the pervasiveness of perspective-dependent expressions and because the ability to represent multiple perspectives is a feature of human language not shared by animal communication systems. Thus, understanding perspective-dependent expressions across multiple languages is a key part of understanding what human language itself is and what makes it unique among communication systems. It is also crucial for developing artificial language systems that interact more naturally with humans and incorporate contextual information with greater success. This research investigates the meanings of perspective-dependent expressions in Bulu, a Bantu language spoken in Cameroon. The researchers will study classes of perspective-dependent expressions that they have investigated previously in English. Specifically, they will investigate the meaning of motion verbs such as 'come' and perspective-dependent spatial expressions, such as 'to the left of'. Because these expressions are used differently in Bulu than in well-studied languages like English, investigating their use in Bulu will improve understanding of the range of variation in the meanings of perspective-dependent expressions. This, in turn, will facilitate the discovery of general principles involved in perspective taking across languages. This research also contributes to the documentation of Bulu and, indirectly, to the development of Bulu pedagogical materials, due to planned collaboration with researchers in Cameroon.