Definition

1. Noun:
   • A word specifying identity or spatial or temporal location from the perspective of a speaker or hearer in the context in which the communication occurs: A deictic word is a linguistic element whose meaning is dependent on the specific situation in which it is used. Its reference shifts depending on who is speaking, where they are, and when the utterance is made.
   • Words that introduce particulars of the speaker's and hearer's shared cognitive field into the message: Deictic words serve to anchor language to the immediate context shared by the participants in a conversation, pointing to elements like people, places, or times.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • In the sentence "I am here now," the words "I," "here," and "now" are all deictic words.
  • The meaning of the deictic word "that" changes depending on what the speaker is pointing at.
  • Understanding a deictic word requires knowledge of the context of the conversation.

Advanced Usage

• Deictic center: The point of reference, typically the speaker's location in time and space, from which deictic words are interpreted.
  • In most conversations, the speaker forms the deictic center for words like "here" and "now".
• Deictic shift: A change in the perspective from which deictic terms are interpreted, often occurring in narratives.
  • The novel uses a deictic shift, so the "here" and "now" refer to the fictional world of the story.

Variants and Related Words

• Deictic (adj): Pertaining to or functioning as a deictic word.
  • "This" and "that" are deictic expressions.
• Deixis (n): The phenomenon or study of how language uses deictic words to point to context.
  • The linguistics course included a module on deixis.

Synonyms

• Indexical expression: A term used in philosophy and semiotics with a similar meaning to deictic word, indicating something by relation to the context.
• Demonstrative: Specifically refers to words like "this," "that," "these," and "those," which are a core type of deictic word.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• Person deixis: Deictic words that refer to participant roles (e.g., ).
  • Personal pronouns are the clearest examples of person deixis.
• Spatial deixis: Deictic words that refer to location (e.g., ).
  • Spatial deixis helps us understand directions in a conversation.
• Temporal deixis: Deictic words that refer to time (e.g., ).
  • Temporal deixis is crucial for understanding verb tenses in context.

Noun

1. a word specifying identity or spatial or temporal location from the perspective of a speaker or hearer in the context in which the communication occurs
   • words that introduce particulars of the speaker's and hearer's shared cognitive field into the message- R.Rommetveit