2. Deixis
Definitions:
• The word ‘deixis’ is a technical term (from Greek) for one
of the most basic things we do with utterances, which means
‘pointing via language.’
(George Yule)
• “Deixis concerns ways in which the interpretation of
utterance depends on the analysis of that context of
utterance.”
(Stephen C. Levinson)
3. Deixis is any word that cannot be interpreted without
reference to physical context: the speaker, addressee, time,
and place of utterance. For Example:
you’ll have to bring that back tomorrow, because
they aren’t there now.
• Out of context, this sentence is extremely vague. It
contains a larger number of expressions (you,
that, tomorrow, they, here, now) which depend
for their interpretation on the immediate physical
context in which they were uttered.
4. These cannot be understood in terms of speaker’s
intended meaning.
These are technically known as deictic
expressions.
5. Deictic Expression
• Any linguistic form used to accomplish
‘pointing’ is called a deictic expression.
• Deictic expressions are also known as indexicals.
6. Deictic Expression
• Deictic expressions are meaningful in a given
context.
• They are among the first words acquired by
children.
• In order to be interpreted correctly, the speaker and
listener have to share the same context.
• They are particularly useful in face to face
communication.
7. Deictic Expression
• What are the deictic expressions in the following
utterance?
I’m busy now you can’t do that here. Come back
tomorrow.
8. Types of Deixis
• Person Deixis: any expression used to point to a
person (me, you, him, them) is an example of
PERSON DEIXIS.
• Space/Spatial/Place Deixis: words used to point to a
location (here, there) are examples of Place Deixis.
• Time/Temporal Deixis: the expression used to a time
(now, then, tonight, last week, yesterday) are examples
of Time Deixis.
9. Person Deixis
• Person deixis operates on a basis three-part
division, exemplified by the pronouns for first
person (‘I’), second person (‘you’), and third
person (‘he, she, it’).
• A speech event includes at least two persons:
- first person = speaker
- second person = addressee
• Usually the third person is not grammatically
marked, because the only two persons of
importance are the first person and the second
person.
10. Person Deixis
• Pronouns:
All languages have personal pronouns or at
least words, that refer to the participants of the
speech act.
• The pronouns of the first (I-my-mine) and
second person (you-your-yours) are deictic
(reference to the speaking person).
11. • It is also possible to have deictic
pronouns for the third person.
• Definite and specific pronouns:
this, that, those, or these.
• Indefinite and specific pronouns:
somebody, something, who, what.
• Indefinite and non-specific pronouns:
someone, something, nobody, nothing.
12. SOCIAL DEIXIS: forms used to indicate relative social
status. In many languages deictic categories become
markers of relative social status.
HONORIFICS: expressions that mark that the addressee
is of higher status.
SOCIAL DEIXIS
13. Examples of SOCIAL DEIXIS
In Spanish the “Tú”- “Usted” distinction.
• The choice of one form will communicate
something, not directly said, about the speaker’s
view of his relation with the addressee.
• The higher, older and more powerful speaker will
tend to use the “tú” and viceversa.
• Nowadays, the age distinction remains more
powerful than the economic distinction in many
countries.
14. Using the 3rd person form
• Communicates distance
and non-familiarity.
Also, it has an ironic or
humorous purpose.
i.e: Would his highness
like some coffee?
• Also used to make
accusations:
“Somebody didn’t clean
up after himself”
(less direct than “You
didn’t clean”
15. Space/Spatial/Place Deixis
• The concept of distance is relevant to spatial deixis, where the relative
location of people and things is being indicated.
• Some pure place-deictic words: here and there (adverbs); this and
that (demonstrative pronouns).
• Here = (near); there = (more distant)
• Demonstrative pronouns:
This = the object in a pragmatically given area close to the speaker’s
location.
That = the object beyond the pragmatically given area close to the
speaker’s location.
16. Ex:
I’m writing to say I’m having a marvelous time
here. (includes the location of speaker)
Bring that here and take this there. (away from
the location of speaker)
17. • Motion verbs:
come vs. go makes distinction between the
direction of motion.
• She’s coming = she is moving towards the
speaker’s location.
• She’s going = she is moving away from the
speaker’s location.
• I’m coming = the speaker is moving towards
the location of the addressee.
18. Time deixis
Expressions referring to time:
five minutes ago
tomorrow
last week
next Monday
Choice of tense:
• present tense : He doesn’t know.
(this is nearer to the point of
reference)
• past tense: Yesterday I slept for 10 hours
(this communicates distance from
current time)
19. • Conditionals
if I won the lottery I would …
(this communicates distance from current reality)
• Time Deixis is relevant to various other deictic
elements in language:
Ex:
• Greetings:
Good morning (can only be used in the morning)
• Expressions:
the former president, my ex-roommate
20. DEIXIS AND GRAMMAR
The distinctions for person, spatial, and temporal
deixis can be seen at work in English grammar
structures such as DIRECT and INDIRECT
(reported)SPEECH.
i.e: Are you planning to be here this evening? –
I asked her.
21. REPORTED FORM
• I asked her if she was planing to be there that
evening
There’ s a shift from the “near speaker” meaning
of direct speech to the “away from speaker”
meaning of reported speech, with the use of
DISTAL DEICTIC forms.
