Directionals in Polynesian Comparative Expressions

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  • ポリネシア諸語の比較表現における方向詞
  • ポリネシア ショゴ ノ ヒカク ヒョウゲン ニ オケル ホウコウシ

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Abstract

Directionals are functional words which primarily express directions of the movement. Many Polynesian languages have four directionals, which basically means "towards the speaker", "away from the speaker", "upwards", and "downwards", respectively. The directionals are used to express directions, to show distance in time, to form comparative expressions, and so on. All the four directionals are used in comparative expressions in Hawaiian and Tahitian, as well as in Samoan. Two of them, meaning "towards the speaker" and "downwards" respectively, are used to express the comparison showing 'A is smaller (in amount, size, and so on) than B', while the other two directionals are used in various cases, including the comparison showing 'A is larger (in amount, size, and so on) than B'.

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