Examination of Spatial Deictic Markers in Kingoni

Abstract

This study aimed to examine spatial deixis in Kingoni within the framework of the cognitive semantics approach. A total of 60 adults and grandparents that were purposively selected from 30 households in Songea Rural District were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. Data on Kingoni spatial orientation was analysed using thematic and quotation analysis techniques, with special interest in underlying coordinates, body-sidedness, and the absolute and intrinsic frame of reference. The study results show that Kingoni has five deictic terms with movement or motion components categorised into two groups: go (hambai, wukai) and come (bwelai, wuyai, and kiliwukai). It has also been realised that Kingoni is a hybrid system of frames of reference, changing from one frame to another when interacting. It uses object-sidedness (intrinsic frame of reference) and body-sidedness to express or point to something like kumangiga (the right hand) or kumandyoli (the left-hand side). Kingoni exhibits four spatial dimension differences when expressing the location of an object from a given viewpoint. These are apa (near), pala (near far), palanaha (far), and palé (far most). Accordingly, the study recommends continued research in natural language to enrich existing knowledge about deictic markers.