this post was submitted on 20 Aug 2024
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Science Memes

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Why is my GPS so terrible?! (mander.xyz)
submitted 1 month ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (2 children)

Fun fact about some languages no having words for left/right.

This helps with orientation (important for navigation) but also stuff like arranging items east to west according to age.

edit: when sorting by age.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 weeks ago* (last edited 4 weeks ago) (1 children)

There's another great example of a language based on a small island with a hill/mountain in the middle where their words for direction are polar. Essentially, clockwise/anticlockwise and shoreward/inland, instead of left/right and forward/back.

edit: it's the island of Manam. Wikipedia has a great picture of the island showing its central volcano.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 weeks ago

Ah yes, turnwise and widdershins.