CHAT: Cardinal points (was: CHAT: living conditions/conditionally Re:MiscellaneousNonsense)

From: "Thomas R. Wier"

> For languages that developed
> in flat plain-like regions where reference points are few and far between,
like
> the Pueblo languages of New Mexico and Arizona, there is a tendency for
> cardinal-point directional systems.  In those languages in particular,
there are six
> cardinal points:  the four European ones, plus the zenith and nadir.
Oh, now, stop that. In Géarthnuns, there are seven cardinal points. On the
celestial sphere, there are the six you've just mentioned plus a "you are
here" spot at the core, the ego-point, where the speaker is at that moment.
The terms "zenith" and "nadir" never even occurred to me as possible
definitions; I was labelling them clumsily as "up, upwardness" and "down,
downwardness" (though these concepts are also included). I've had to go back
to the lexicon (which I was working on this afternoon), and add these
entries therein. How am I to catch up on the lexicon when you keep
proffering better, additional translations for Géarthnuns concepts? What's
next, a relay?! :)

Kou