Definition

1. Noun:
   • A pronoun that points out an intended referent: A demonstrative pronoun is a type of pronoun used to point to and identify specific things or people in relation to the speaker and listener in space or time. It replaces a noun phrase to indicate which entity is being referred to.

Usage

• Demonstrative pronouns are used to indicate specific items. The primary ones in English are this, that, these, and those.
• This and these refer to things that are near in distance or time.
• That and those refer to things that are farther away in distance or time.
• They can function as the subject or object in a sentence.

Examples

• As Subject:
  • This is my favorite book. (The pronoun "this" points to and replaces the noun phrase "my favorite book," which is near the speaker.)
  • Those were difficult times. (The pronoun "those" points to and replaces the noun phrase "difficult times," which are in the past/farther away.)
• As Object:
  • I want that. (The pronoun "that" is the object of the verb "want," pointing to a specific item away from the speaker.)
  • She made these. (The pronoun "these" is the object of the verb "made," pointing to specific items near the speaker.)

Advanced Usage

• Emphatic Use: Demonstrative pronouns can be used for emphasis to strongly point out something.
  • This is the reason we failed! (Emphatically pointing out the specific reason.)
• Abstract Reference: They can refer to abstract ideas or previously mentioned statements.
  • He said he was busy. That is simply not true. ("That" refers to the entire previous statement.)

Variants and Related Words

• Demonstrative Adjective (Demonstrative Determiner): The words this, that, these, those can also function as adjectives when they come directly before a noun to modify it (e.g., , ). In this role, they are not pronouns but determiners.
• Pronoun: The general category to which demonstrative pronouns belong.

Synonyms

• Deictic pronoun: A more technical linguistic term for a pronoun whose reference depends on the context of the utterance.

Related Phrases

• (To point) this/that out: While not a phrasal verb of the pronoun itself, this common phrase uses demonstratives. It means to direct attention to something.
  • She pointed that out during the meeting. ("That" refers to the specific issue she highlighted.)

Related Idioms

• This and that: An idiom meaning various unspecified things.
  • We spent the afternoon chatting about this and that. (Here, "this" and "that" are used idiomatically, not as specific demonstrative pronouns pointing to clear referents.)

Noun

1. a pronoun that points out an intended referent