TY - JOUR

T1 - Speaking of Location

T2 - A Review of Spatial Language Research

AU - Stock, Kristin

AU - Jones, Christopher

AU - Tenbrink, Thora

N1 - This is a very comprehensive, full paper-length introduction to the Special Issue on "Speaking of Location: Understanding, Interpreting and Generating Natural Language" which the same team of authors has edited.

PY - 2022/10/2

Y1 - 2022/10/2

N2 - Spatial language incorporates descriptions of locations, routes, and landscapes, and is used by humans daily. Research has addressed a wide range of aspects of spatial language, including its form; the ways in which it is selected and applied; and cognitive, geometric, and functional factors affecting its use. Furthermore, much work has been done on the automation of spatial language extraction, analysis, interpretation, and generation. To introduce the Special Issue on this broad topic, this paper reviews spatial language research framed by an extension to the well-known semantic triangle, the “spatial semantic pyramid,” which represents both human spatial language and relevant computational research. By introducing it, we hope to stimulate discussion about gaps and future directions in this important research field.

AB - Spatial language incorporates descriptions of locations, routes, and landscapes, and is used by humans daily. Research has addressed a wide range of aspects of spatial language, including its form; the ways in which it is selected and applied; and cognitive, geometric, and functional factors affecting its use. Furthermore, much work has been done on the automation of spatial language extraction, analysis, interpretation, and generation. To introduce the Special Issue on this broad topic, this paper reviews spatial language research framed by an extension to the well-known semantic triangle, the “spatial semantic pyramid,” which represents both human spatial language and relevant computational research. By introducing it, we hope to stimulate discussion about gaps and future directions in this important research field.

KW - spatial language

KW - Spatial cognition

KW - geospatial language

KW - natural language

KW - geographic information retrieval

KW - semantic triangle

U2 - 10.1080/13875868.2022.2095275

DO - 10.1080/13875868.2022.2095275

M3 - Review article

VL - 22

SP - 185

EP - 224

JO - Spatial Cognition and Computation: An Interdisciplinary Journal

JF - Spatial Cognition and Computation: An Interdisciplinary Journal

SN - 1387-5868

IS - 3-4

ER -