What in the world is north? Translating cardinal directions across languages, cultures and environments

• Main Authors: Gaby, Alice, Lum, Jonathan, Poulton, Thomas, Schlossberg, Jonathan
• Other Authors: The University of Newcastle. Faculty of Education & Arts, School of Humanities and Social Science
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: M/C - Media and Culture 2017
• Subjects: spatial language; directions; navigation; Marshallese; Dhivehi; English; Aboriginal languages; Kuuk Thaayorre; compass; Cape York; Cornish; North Pole
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1384380

For many, north is an abstract point on a compass, an arrow that tells you which way to hold up a map. Though scientifically defined according to the magnetic north pole, and/or the earth’s axis of rotation, these facts are not necessarily discernible to the average person. Perhaps for this reason,...