Abstract
Landscapes, as natural phenomena of the environment, are not stable/unstable during the course of time. As seen from the perspective of those living in a specific environment, the dynamics of landscape are caused by inner and outer factors. Inner factors are permanent or temporary changes due to the global or local climate and degradation. By outer factors, we understand political or government interference and processes of migration. Whatever the reasons may be, according to our experience, the speakers of specific word cultures always tend to adapt their former systems of conceptualising landscape to new situations. For a historical linguist, the processes of adaptation remain visible in the records of landscape terminology and the underlying historical processes can be reconstructed on this basis. Therefore in this chapter we try to show, not only the contemporary dimensions of landscape conceptualisation of two Namibian word cultures, but also, in a historical perspective, the dynamism of adaptation to new environments, active in these languages.
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Notes
- 1.
In this articlechapter, we leave aside the problems of cultural outsiders when dealing with the conceptual systems of insiders. The interested reader will find further details concerning this question in Kathage, (2004).
- 2.
The term “‘semantic field’” was introduced by Trier, Portzig, and others (Lyons, 1977, p. 250) in the 1920s and 1930s. Since then the theory has further been developed. However, the scholarly discussions on certain aspects of the field theory are still going on. Anyway, for the description of thematically related concepts and their denotations, the instrument of semantic field has proved its heuristic value. This is the reason, why we use it in this chapter.
- 3.
For the principle of hierarchy in taxonomies, see Berlin et al., (1973).
- 4.
We follow the established rules of orthography, but deviate from it in marking the distinctive tones. High tones are marked by an acute over the bearing syllable: á, and falling tones by a circumflex: â. Low tones remain unmarked: a.
- 5.
Nilo-Saharan language spoken near Lake Chad.
- 6.
In this articlechapter, we do not use the concepts of feature and value in the same sense as the so-called frame theory (see Barsalou, 1992), although there may be overlaps. Again, our definitions and applications of these concepts are governed by heuristic considerations.
- 7.
I first learned about the story through a text by the indigenous writer Herbert Ndango Diaz (1994, pp. 12 ff.).
- 8.
A nominal possessive qualifies a header noun by its possessor. This syntactical figure corresponds to the genitive in Latin, French, English, or German.
- 9.
Further details see Möhlig, (2005, Section 4.2.1).
- 10.
All the other divergent consonants between Otjiherero and Rumanyo are based on regular sound correspondences.
- 11.
Compare C.S. 289 *-càngà with a western distribution and C.S.676 *-dúá with an eastern distribution. (Guthrie, 1967-–1971, vol. 3, pp. 86, 182).
- 12.
The combination of the letters !kh refers to a voiceless aspirated post-alveolar click sound with an aspirated efflux.
- 13.
Leser, (1998, p. 700);, Hendl, and Liedke, (1997, Chap. 2).
- 14.
In fact, we do not know of such a language.
- 15.
Compare Guthrie, op. cit. vol. 3, p. 116, C.S. 393 *-cúá grass with a distribution mainly in Eastern Savannah Bantu.
- 16.
On the basis of other sources, this area was also defined as a former settlement of the Herero. Compare: Möhlig (2000, pp. 135 ff.).
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Acknowledgements
Jekura U. Kavari collected the major part of the Otjiherero data in this article. Likewise, Karl Peter Shiyaka Mberema contributed to the Rumanyo material. I have to thank both counterparts for their valuable support. Nina Gruntkowski and Michael Bollig read an earlier version of this article. I am grateful to them for their valuable criticism and suggestions. All shortcomings in the handling of the data are, of course, my exclusive responsibility.
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Möhlig, W.J. (2009). Two Ways of Conceptualizing Natural Landscapes. In: Bubenzer, O., Bollig, M. (eds) African Landscapes. Studies in Human Ecology and Adaptation, vol 4. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-78682-7_16
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