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Deictic expressions

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ESL Forum | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms

Expression: "Hey, look at that building..." | Gerund (Smoking has been banned in Asian Countries.)

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#1 (permalink) Mon Jun 23, 2008 21:00 pm Deictic expressions

Hi I tried to understand the meaning of deictic expressions through the internet sources but could not. Could you please explain to me what deictic expressions are? Regards, Tom

Tom
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#2 (permalink) Mon Jun 23, 2008 21:23 pm Deictic expressions

http://www.sil.org/linguistics/glossaryoflinguisticterms/WhatIsDeixis.htm

Molly
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#3 (permalink) Mon Jun 23, 2008 22:12 pm Deictic expressions

Tom wrote:

Hi

I tried to understand the meaning of deictic expressions through the internet sources but could not. Could you please explain to me what deictic expressions are?

Regards,

Tom

Hello Tom,

Deictic expressions relate the content of an utterance to the speaker, the addressee, and the time and place of utterance.

Thus if I say to you:

1. Come over here and look at this!

"here" refers to where I am as I speak, "come" refers to a direction that depends on where "here" is, and "this" refers to e.g. something I am pointing at. They are therefore deictic.

Cf.

2. Yesterday he gave me a gold watch.

Here, the meaning of "yesterday" depends on the time of speaking, and "me" depends on the identity of the speaker. Moreover, "gave" is also a deictic element, as it locates the act in relation to the time of speaking. "A gold watch" however isn't. (Gold watches are gold watches.)

Best wishes,

MrP

MrPedantic
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#4 (permalink) Mon Jun 23, 2008 22:26 pm Deictic expressions

Quote:

and "this" refers to e.g. something I am pointing at.

Though pointing is not always the case.

Molly
I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 4017

#5 (permalink) Mon Jun 23, 2008 22:30 pm Deictic expressions

Molly wrote:

Quote:

and "this" refers to e.g. something I am pointing at.

Though pointing is not always the case.

Indeed. (Hence the "e.g.".)

MrP

MrPedantic
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#6 (permalink) Tue Jun 24, 2008 7:34 am Deictic expressions

MrPedantic wrote:

Molly wrote:

Quote:

and "this" refers to e.g. something I am pointing at.

Though pointing is not always the case.

Indeed. (Hence the "e.g.".)

MrP

I saw it. I was just wondering how many students would guess the other e.g.s.

Molly
I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 4017

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Expression: "Hey, look at that building..." | Gerund (Smoking has been banned in Asian Countries.)

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