Definition:
A word (such as this, that, these, those, now, then) that points to the time, place, or situation in which the speaker is speaking. Also known as deixis.
See also:
Etymology:
From the Greek, "to show"Observations and Examples:
- "The term deixis applies to the use of expressions in which the meaning can be traced directly to features of the act of utterance--when and where it takes place, and who is involved as speaker and as addressee. In their primary meaning, for example, now and here are used deictically to refer respectively to the time and place of the utterance. Similarly, this country is likely to be interpreted deictically as the country in which the utterance takes place. Several of the pronouns are predominantly used deictically, with I and we referring to the speaker and a group including the speaker, you to the addressee(s) or a set including the addressee(s)."
(Rodney Huddleston and Geoffrey K. Pullum, A Student's Introduction to English Grammar. Cambridge Univ. Press, 2006) - "Four common adverbs in conversation refer to time and place: here, there, then, and now. These adverbs are deictics--i.e., they make reference to the time and place of speaking (e.g., now refers to the actual time of speaking). Because speakers are together in conversation, it is easy to use these deictics . . .."
(Douglas Biber, Susan Conrad, and Geoffrey Leech, Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English. Pearson, 2002) - "What we've got here is a failure to communicate."
(Paul Newman as Luke in Cool Hand Luke, 1967) - "Don't you sometimes wonder if it's worth all this? I mean what you're fighting for."
(Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine in Casablanca, 1942) - "God has not forsaken this place, Mr. Allnut, as my brother's presence here bears witness."
(Katharine Hepburn as Rose Sayer in The African Queen, 1951)
Pronunciation: DIKE-tik
