[...] Who are the speaker and the addressee? When and where did
the utterance take place?
The tokens “I”, “you”, “next week” and “here” are deictic expressions. According to Charles
J. Fillmore (FILLMORE 1997: §1) “[d]eixis can be defined as the anchorage of an utterance
in the extralinguistic context.” Anderson´s and Keenan´s definition (1985) is similar to
Fillmore´s:
“Following standard usage, we consider as deictic expressions (or deictics
for short) those linguistic elements whose interpretation in simple sentences
makes essential reference to properties of the extralinguistic context of the
utterance in which they occur.”1 (ANDERSON and KEENAN 1985: 259)
The “most frequently quoted definition” (LENZ 2003: VII) of deixis comes from John Lyons
(1977):
“By deixis is meant the location and identification of persons, objects, events,
processes and activities being talked about, or referred to, in relation to the
spatiotemporal context created and sustained by the act of utterance and the
participation in it, typically, of a single speaker and at least one addressee.”
(Lyons 1977: 637)
The definitions show that deixis does not merely belong to the field of semantics. The use of
deictic elements depends on a particular context. Thus, deixis is on the interface of semantics
and pragmatics. Since deixis is a universal phenomenon, typologists examine its variations
and similarities throughout the languages of the world. The initial example shows that we rely
heavily on deictic elements in every-day language. We refer to places, objects, persons, times,
and many more things by means of deixis. Therefore, the study of deixis is not only
interesting to linguists but to anyone who is engaged in language in general.
My approach is to use deictic elements in English as a starting point. I will then move on to
compare the strategies of English with those of other languages. My aims are to show how wide the range of deictic elements in human language is and how much the concepts of
certain languages vary from what we are used to.
There are different types of deixis: The main categories are local deixis, person deixis, social
deixis, furthermore time deixis and manner deixis. This paper concentrates on local deixis,
“the prototype of deixis” (SENNHOLZ 1985: 168-169). Additionally, a general overview on
person and social deixis is provived.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Local deixis
2.1. Demonstratives and local adverbs
2.1.1. Two term systems
2.1.2. Three term systems: person oriented vs. distance oriented systems
2.1.3. Four and five term systems
2.1.4. Systems with more than five terms and systems with more than one dimension of contrast
2.2. Deictic verbs
2.3. Non-deictic strategies of locating objects in space
2.4. Extensions of spatial deixis
3. Person deixis
4. Social deixis
5. Summary
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this work is to explore the universal phenomenon of deixis by examining how various languages encode information about context, space, person, and social relationships. The research investigates the linguistic strategies used to anchor utterances in extralinguistic reality, moving from English as a baseline to a comparative analysis of diverse cross-linguistic systems.
- The role of local deixis, including demonstratives and spatial adverbs.
- Comparative analysis of person-oriented and distance-oriented deictic systems.
- The use of deictic verbs and non-deictic strategies for spatial orientation.
- The encoding of social status and interpersonal relationships within deictic pronoun systems.
- Psychological and discourse-related extensions of spatial deictic concepts.
Excerpt from the Book
2. Local deixis
In (2) the local adverbs “here” and “there” refer to places close to (“here”) and further away from (“there”) the speaker’s position. Elements that denote spatial location relative to the location of the speaker are called local or spatial deictics. Local deixis is the most commonly cited type of deixis in scientific literature (cf. ANDERSON and KEENAN 1985: 259).
Spatial deixis “comprises local adverbs, demonstratives, deictic particles, deictic verbs (e.g. movement verbs, such as to come or to go in English).” (HAASE 2002: 760). My main focus is on demonstratives and local adverbs. A brief discussion of deictic verbs, non-deictic strategies of locating objects in space and extensions of local deixis concludes this chapter.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter defines deixis as the anchorage of utterances in extralinguistic context and establishes the interface between semantics and pragmatics.
2. Local deixis: This chapter examines how languages categorize spatial orientation through demonstratives, adverbs, and deictic verbs, while also highlighting non-deictic geocentric strategies.
3. Person deixis: This section analyzes how pronoun systems across different languages encode information about speakers, addressees, and third parties, including variations in number and gender.
4. Social deixis: This chapter discusses how linguistic forms, including pronouns and honorifics, vary according to the social status and personal relationships between interlocutors.
5. Summary: The final chapter synthesizes the main findings, emphasizing that while deixis is a universal phenomenon, the specific encoding strategies are highly language-dependent.
Keywords
Deixis, Local deixis, Person deixis, Social deixis, Demonstratives, Spatial adverbs, Linguistics, Semantics, Pragmatics, Typology, Pronoun systems, Honorifics, Geocentric expressions, Language universal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper focuses on deictic elements—linguistic expressions whose interpretation relies on the extralinguistic context—and their diverse manifestations across the world's languages.
What are the primary thematic areas?
The main themes include local (spatial) deixis, person deixis, social deixis, the use of deictic verbs, and the extension of spatial concepts into time and discourse.
What is the main research objective?
The study aims to demonstrate the wide range of deictic strategies used in human communication and to compare how specific concepts vary significantly between languages like English, Japanese, and others.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author employs a comparative linguistic approach, utilizing typological data and existing research to categorize and analyze how different languages handle deixis.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body provides a detailed analysis of two-term, three-term, and multi-dimensional deictic systems, alongside an exploration of non-deictic spatial strategies and social honorific systems.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include deixis, semantics, pragmatics, language typology, demonstratives, and personal pronouns.
How does the Yup’ik Eskimo system differ from the English system?
Unlike English, which typically relies on a two-term spatial opposition, the Alaskan Yup’ik Eskimo system utilizes a complex set of 30 demonstrative pronouns categorized by the type of object and its visibility.
What are "geocentric expressions" in the context of Guugu Yimmidhir?
Guugu Yimmidhir uses cardinal directions (like "western leg" instead of "left leg") to locate objects, opting for geocentric orientation rather than body-relative deixis.
- Quote paper
- Martin Lehmannn (Author), 2003, Deictic elements throughout the languages of the world - A comparison, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/19905
