1. Deixis and Distance
Yule, G. 1996. Pragmatics. New York: Oxford University Press.
Levinson, S.,C. 1983, Pragmatics.New York: Cambridge University Press
2. Deixis means ‘pointing’ via language
• Any linguistic form used to accomplish this ‘pointing’ is called ‘deictic
expression’ also called ‘indexicals’ for examples: ‘me’, ‘you’, ‘here’,
‘there’, ‘now’, ‘then’ etc.
• When you notice a strange object and ask, ‘What’s that?’ you are
using deictic expression ‘that’ to indicate something in the immediate
context.
• The expressions depend, for their interpretation, on the speaker and
hearer sharing the same context.
• The basic use is in ‘face-to-face’ spoken interaction but it may extend
to written communication.
3. Types of Deixis
Yule
• Person deixis (including Social Deixis)
• Spatial deixis
• Temporal deixis
Levinson
• Person Deixis
• Time Deixis
• Place Deixis
• Discourse Deixis
• Social Deixis
4. Person Deixis
• Person deixis clearly operates on a basic three-part division; ‘first person
pronouns, second person pronouns, and third person pronouns’, added
with ‘honorifics’ (expressions which indicate higher status)
• The discussion of the circumstances which lead to the choice of one of
these forms rather than another is described as ‘social deixis’. It is
influenced by social status, economic status, age distinction.
• In a conversation, (I-you) are direct participants and a third person is more
distant. Using a third person form where a second person form would be
possible, is one way of communicating distance(and non-familiarity).
5. For examples:
• [2] Would his highness like some coffee?
It can be done for ironic or humorous purposes as one person, who’s very
busy in the kitchen, address another, who is being very lazy.
• [3a] Somebody didn’t clean up after himself.
• [3b] Each person has to clean up after him or herself.
The distance associated with third person forms is also used to make
potential accusations (for example, ‘you didn’t clean up’) in a less direct way
[3a], or to make a potentially personal issue seem like an impersonal one,
based on a general rule, as in [3b].
• [4] We clean after ourselves around here
In English, a potential ambiguity in such uses which allows two different
interpretations. There is an exclusive ‘we’ (speaker plus other(s), excluding
addressee) and an inclusive ‘we’ (speaker and addressee included)
6. Spatial Deixis
• The concept of distance is clearly relevant to spatial deixis, where the
relative location of people and things is being indicated.
• In spatial deixis, the location from the speaker’s perspective can be fixed
mentally as well as physically.
• In certain situation we can manipulate location/ speakers can projects
themselves into other locations prior to actually being in those location. It
is called ‘deictic projection’
• [5] I am not here now
If ‘here’ means the place of the speaker’s utterances (and ‘now’ means the
time of the speaker’s utterance), [5] should be nonsense. However [5] can be
said into the recorder of a telephone answering machine, projecting that
‘now’ will apply to any time someone tries to call the telephone owner.
Recording [5] is a kind of dramatic performance for a future audience in
which the speaker project his presence to be in the required location.
7. A visit to a pet store
• [6] I was looking at this little puppy in a cage with such a sad look on
its face. It was like, ‘Oh, I’m so unhappy here, will you set me free?’
The ‘here’ of the cage is not the actual physical location of the person
uttering the words (the speaker), but is instead the location of that
person performing in the role of the puppy.
8. Temporal Deixis
• [7a] November 22nd, 1963? I was in Scotland then.
• [7b] Dinner at 8:30 on Saturday? Okay, I’ll see you then.
The distal expression ‘then’ applies to both past [7a] and future [7b]
The use of elaborate systems of non-deictic temporal reference (calender
time; dates (in [7a]), and clock time (as in [7b])).
However, these forms of temporal reference asre learned a lot later than the
deictic expressions like ‘yesterday, tomorrow, today, tonight, next week, last
week, this week’.
All these expressions depend for their interpretation in knowing the relevant
utterance time.
9. • [8] Back in an hour
If we don’t know the utterance time of a note, as in [8], on an office
door, we won’t know if we have a short or a long wait ahead.
• [9] Free Beer Tomorrow. (a notice in a bar)
If we return the next day to a bar, then we will still, deictically, one day
early for the free beer.
• One basic type of temporal deixis in English is in the choice of verb
tense (past, present, future time)
10. Discourse Deixis refering to certain element in
a discourse
• ……in the last paragraph…
• ……in the next chapter…..
• You will be interested in this problem.
• That’s the most ridiculous excuse I’ve ever heard.
• Other examples: but, therefore, in conclusion, to the contrary, still, however, anyway,
well, besides, actually, all in all, so, after all, etc.
• For examples:
• 1. Spain beat Italy in the final of Europe Cup ,so they are the champion.
• 2. Rico has struggled hard to win the game, but finally he lost.
• 3. Everybody wants to be successful. Therefore, everybody must work hard.
