Giving directions in New York City: A gricean scheme

From Quinion, "World Wide Words", today:

"Another major theme in Deutscher's book is the way that languages
describe directions. Most use schemes related to the observer
("turn left at the traffic lights and take the third turning on
your right"). A few languages, however, use absolute directions,
including Guugu Yimithirr of Australia (famous as being the source
of the word "kangaroo"). Speakers might warn you that a stinging
ant was "north of your foot" or say that they left something "on
the southern edge of the western table" in a room. Their scheme is
appropriate for a group living in open country with few natural or
human-made landmarks, but in our more complex civilisations the
relational one works better. The Guugu Yimithirr method requires
its speakers to acquire an absolute sense of direction, a marvel to
the rest of us who don't possess it and a strong indication that
language does indeed in some cases modify thought."

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Leech has analysed the phenomenon of direction-giving in Italy. He focused on Italians giving directions about the Tower of Pisa in Pisa (to foreigners). In general, Leech concludes that the Gricean maxims do not apply in Italy (the parts he visited). He was often MISLED by the most otiose, wrong, directions given to him by Italians.

"It would seem that they rather ANSWER the question, however wrongly, rather than accept that they have no idea what you are asking them about".

Sad.


It's yet different in New York City. Broadway, for example. Or "Avenue of the Americas". This should be numbered. Etc.

The giving of directions relates to other phenomena and other maxims. Beatrix Levandera, for example, has studied the way people describe apartments. They always do so in terms of the maxim, 'be orderly' and they NEVER describe an apartment from the absolute terms of an architect seeing the thing from above. It's always the rather dull way: you come inside the apartment, and there is a corridor to the left, etc. --

Some cities are easier to be given directions. I wouldn't think which city is the simplest one to be given a direction. Depends on the language and the dialects, too.

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