A linguistics-based framework for modeling spatio-temporal occurrences and purposive change

Authors:
Jeff T. Howarth;Helen Couclelis
Affiliations:
Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara, California;Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara, California
Venue:
COSIT'05 Proceedings of the 2005 international conference on Spatial Information Theory
Year:
2005

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Abstract

We present a linguistics-based approach for modeling spatio-temporal change and in particular, purposive change, as in the change in land uses. We extend Talmy's theory of force dynamics in language by means of the Aristotelian distinction between constitutive, agentive, and telic dimensions in things, to derive a framework for describing different kinds of occurrences and changes, both purposive and not. The framework, which can span any number of spatio-temporal scales and granularities, may be seen as a tentative ontology of change that highlights the role of goal-directed action. We illustrate our argument by means of excerpts from a historic text detailing a cattle-ranching operation.