Spatial Frames of Reference for Temporal Relations: A Conceptual Analysis in English, German, and Tongan

People tend to think about time in terms of space, in some languages even with identical vocabulary. It is therefore plausible to assume that the frame of reference (FOR) preferred for spatial descriptions also helps to organize temporal descriptions. Further still: If languages differ with regard to the FORs that they prefer in the one domain—as is indeed the case—then they might also differ in the other domain. This paper presents a conceptual analysis of spatial and temporal FORs and describes how the former could be mapped onto the latter. Instances from English, German, and Tongan are provided in order to scrutinize the relationship of relevant prepositions and underlying concepts. The analysis reveals that the rare type of spatial FOR used in Tongan is indeed reflected in the temporal domain. A homology between the two domains is thus very