Deixis

The term "deixis"...

• refers to an utterance considered as an action, particularly with regard to its intention, purpose, or effect.

• refers to how speakers orientate both themselves and their addressees according to the context of a conversation.

News reporter from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia reports of the following:

"This city has witnessed a flood as a result of the heavy rain."

This city is an example of...

• spatial deixis

• temporal deixis

• person deixis

"She is going to The Weeknd concert, but she is stuck in traffic."

She is...

• a spatial deixis

• a temporal deixis

• a person deixis

"They made a great deal of profit last year."

last year refers to...

• spatial deixis

• temporal deixis

• person deixis

"Whenever I see Alex, he wears that same jacket"

he and that are respectively the examples of...

• spatial deixis and person deixis

• temporal deixis and spatial deixis

• personal deixis and spatial deixis

• personal deixis and temporal deixis

They tried to hurt me, but he came to help.

The highlighted words are some examples of...

• spatial deixis

• temporal deixis

• personal deixis

First and second person pronouns are deictic.

• True

• False

... depends on the identity of the speaker.

• Spatial deixis

• Temporal deixis

• Person deixis

... depends on the time when the utterance is produced.

• Spatial deixis

• Temporal deixis

• Person deixis

... depends on the location of the speaker.

• Spatial deixis

• Temporal deixis

• Person deixis