Unit 3 - Deixis
University of Lleida. Faculty of Arts.
Describing and Using English
Yasmina Mortés Alba
2nd year Degree in English
17/01/2011
Deixis: definition
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Deixis
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Phenomenon of the language which consists on
referring to a piece of reality by using a word
whose meaning can only be guessed when both
speaker and addressee are sharing the same
context.
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Example: Would you mind leaving this room now,
please?
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You, now and this are deictics.
Deixis: components
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Deictics / Indexicals
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Words whose meaning depend on the context
where the speaker and the addressee are located.
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Personal pronouns
Possessives
Locative & temporal adverbs
Demonstratives
Reference: definition
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Reference

The act of matching a word with the piece of
reality that designates.
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Relating a word with the object that designates.
The concept of anaphora
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Anaphora
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When a non-deictic word that names an object
comes before a deictic that also refers to that
piece of reality / object.
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Example: Mary’s marks are high. So, she is a good
student.
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Mary (non-deictic word and referent), she (deictic).
The concept of cataphora
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Cataphora
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When the deictic appears before that non-deictic
(“more specific”) word that designates that object.
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Example: She is a good student because Mary has
always loved learning.
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She (deictic) and Mary (non-deictic word and referent).
Gestural and symbolic deixis
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Gestural deixis
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Pointing at something.
Symbolic deixis:
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Temporal & spatial circumstances are important.
Types of deixis
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I) Person deixis
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II) Place deixis
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Demonstratives (This/these: proximal. That/those: distal).
Adverbs (Here/there).
Verbs (Come/go;Take/bring).
III) Time deixis
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Pronouns (I, you, we…)
Possessives (Your, our, their…)
Adverbs (Yesterday, tomorrow, now…).
Adjectives (Next).
Example: Would you mind leaving this room now, please?
(type I)
(type II)
(type III)
End of the presentation
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Thanks for your attention!