Paper short abstract:

The focus of this paper, based on field research in Micronesia, examines Kosraen temporal and spatial relationships, viewed through a Sociosemantics lens. How is the spoken language grounded in the cultural behavior of the real world of Kosraens?

Paper long abstract:

The focus of this paper, based on field research in Micronesia, examines Kosraen temporal and spatial relationships, viewed through a Sociosemantics lens. The basic problem in this paper raises this question: How is the spoken language grounded in the cultural behavior of the real world of Kosraens, a world in which is characterized by Kosraens interacting with each other in given events, situations and places? It is the world in which temporal and spatial relationships are found, for example, in social cooperation, which is essential for maintaining Kosraen harmony between cultural organization, maintenance and preservation, a necessary balance needed for the Kosraen survival. The examination of temporal and spatial components of Kosraen shows that an understanding of the impact they have on the sociocultural system is gained only through inspection of its social context, identified in this research as Sociosemantics.

This research uses the qualitative method of participation observation for data collection through extensive fieldwork, nearly 3 years in the field, during two separate trips in 1966 and 1972 plus 6 weeks in 1972 when many of the informants lived with the investigator. Additional research was conducted for an equivalent of 2 additional years of field work on Guam in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Kosraen, a Micronesian language and culture, is indigenous to Kosrae Island in the Eastern Caroline Island group of Micronesian Islands.