The Future Is Behind

The language of the Aymara reverses what was assumed to be a universal spatial metaphor: that the future is ahead and the past is behind, according to an article on the UCSD website. Some interesting asides on temporal metaphors in English as well.

I wonder if such a linguistic structure would blunt the (late capitalist) ideology of "progress." Note, too, that the younger Aymara who are fluent in Spanish are adopting the future ahead, past behind temporal metaphor.

Thanks to Mind Hacks for the link.