1. Unit 3 - Deixis University of Lleida. Faculty of Arts.
Describing and Using English
Yasmina Mortés Alba
2nd year Degree in English
17/01/2011

2. Deixis: definition Deixis
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.
Example: Would you mind leaving this room now,
please?
You, now and this are deictics.

3. Deixis: components Deictics / Indexicals
Words whose meaning depend on the context where the speaker and the addressee are located.
Personal pronouns
Possessives
Locative & temporal adverbs
Demonstratives

4. Reference: definition
The act of matching a word with the piece of reality that designates.
Relating a word with the object that designates.

5. The concept of anaphora
When a non-deictic word that names an object comes before a deictic that also refers to that piece of reality / object.
Example: Mary’s marks are high. So, she is a good
student.
Mary (non-deictic word and referent), she (deictic).

6. The concept of cataphora
When the deictic appears before that non-deictic (“more specific”) word that designates that object.
Example: She is a good student because Mary has
always loved learning.
She (deictic) and Mary (non-deictic word and referent).

7. Gestural and symbolic deixis
Gestural deixis
Pointing at something.
Symbolic deixis:
Temporal & spatial circumstances are important.

8. Types of deixis I) Person deixis II) Place deixis III) Time deixis
Pronouns (I, you, we…)
Possessives (Your, our, their…)
II) Place deixis
Demonstratives (This/these: proximal. That/those: distal).
Adverbs (Here/there).
Verbs (Come/go;Take/bring).
III) Time deixis
Adverbs (Yesterday, tomorrow, now…).
Adjectives (Next).
Example: Would you mind leaving this room now, please?
(type I) (type II) (type III)

9. End of the presentation
Thanks for your attention!