Deictic Word for Dummies

Alright, so a "deictic word" is a word that helps to point out or indicate something specific in the context of a conversation. It's like a little signpost that helps you to understand where or when something is happening.

Let me give you an example to make it clearer. Think of the word "here" or "there." When someone says "I am going there," the word "there" is a deictic word because it helps to show a specific place that the person is talking about. It changes its meaning depending on where the speaker and the listener are at that moment. It's like using your finger to point at something across the room to show where it is.

Deictic words can also include things like "this," "that," "now," and "then." They help us understand the location or time of something in relation to the speaker or the listener.

So essentially, a deictic word is like a little arrow in language that points to something, helping us understand the context of a conversation. It's almost like playing a game of "hot and cold" with words – it guides us to the right place or time in the conversation. So, think of deictic words as little magical pointers that help us navigate through the world of language and understand where things are happening. And that, my friend, is what a deictic word is all about.