Deixis for Dummies
noun
What does Deixis really mean?
Hey there! So, let's talk about the word "deixis." Have you ever heard of it before? Well, deixis is a little bit like a pointer or a signpost in language. It's a way of using words or phrases to point to something specific in the environment or in a conversation.
So, when we use words like "this," "that," "here," "there," "now," and "then," we're using deixis to point to something that is happening or exists in a particular time or place. It's kind of like when you use your finger to point at something that you want someone to look at.
But deixis isn't just about pointing physically, it's also about pointing linguistically. For example, if I say "I will do it later," the word "later" is showing deixis by pointing to a specific time in the future. Or if I say "Give me this book," the word "this" is pointing to a specific book that is close to me.
There are actually three main types of deixis: person deixis (pointing to people), spatial deixis (pointing to locations), and temporal deixis (pointing to times or events).
So, in a nutshell, deixis is all about using words or phrases to point to something specific in time, space, or in a conversation. It's like using a verbal arrow to show where or when something is happening. Cool, right?
So, when we use words like "this," "that," "here," "there," "now," and "then," we're using deixis to point to something that is happening or exists in a particular time or place. It's kind of like when you use your finger to point at something that you want someone to look at.
But deixis isn't just about pointing physically, it's also about pointing linguistically. For example, if I say "I will do it later," the word "later" is showing deixis by pointing to a specific time in the future. Or if I say "Give me this book," the word "this" is pointing to a specific book that is close to me.
There are actually three main types of deixis: person deixis (pointing to people), spatial deixis (pointing to locations), and temporal deixis (pointing to times or events).
So, in a nutshell, deixis is all about using words or phrases to point to something specific in time, space, or in a conversation. It's like using a verbal arrow to show where or when something is happening. Cool, right?
Revised and Fact checked by William Rodriguez on 2023-11-15 06:02:33
Deixis In a sentece
Learn how to use Deixis inside a sentece
- When someone says 'this book' or 'that car', they are using deixis to refer to something that is close or far away.
- If I say 'I want to go there', 'there' is an example of deixis because it refers to a place not mentioned specifically.
- When we use words like 'yesterday' or 'tomorrow' to talk about time, we are using deixis to refer to specific points in time.
- In the sentence 'Please pass me that pencil', 'that' is an example of deixis because it points to a specific object.
- If I say 'I'm the one who baked this cake', 'this' is an example of deixis because it refers to something close to the speaker.
Deixis Hypernyms
Words that are more generic than the original word.