Maps meet myths: Understanding Jahai place naming through Geographical Information Systems

Abstract Placenames are seemingly universal, with the potential to reveal different systems of organizing information in everyday communication. We report on relationship between placenames Jahai, an indigenous language spoken by Jahai people Malay Peninsula, and environment. Our approach explores tendency organize names using a hierarchy kinship associated cnεl, mythological entities origin stories, which appears map onto catchment areas. By associating linguistic data these ethnographic inputs geographical properties calculated Geographic Information System, we generate make suggestions for productive ways understanding as systems.