Pragmatics: Deixis

Summary

This video script delves into the concept of deixis, a linguistic principle that highlights how context influences the meaning of certain expressions. It explains three key categories of deixis: person (I, you, he/she), spatial (here, there), and temporal (now, then), emphasizing how these expressions depend on the speaker and listener’s shared context. The video also discusses psychological distance, showing how language can convey emotional or social proximity. Through a dialogue analysis, viewers learn how indexicals function, offering a deeper understanding of how we reference people, places, and times in everyday communication.

Takeaways

• 😀 Dixis refers to words or expressions that require context for interpretation, as their meaning depends on the speaker-hearer relationship.
• 😀 Person dixis involves pronouns like 'I', 'you', 'he', 'she', 'it', and 'they' that rely on the context of who is speaking and to whom.
• 😀 Spatial dixis includes terms like 'here' (proximal) and 'there' (distal), which relate to the speaker's location or the relative position of objects and people.
• 😀 Temporal dixis relates to time and includes expressions like 'now' (proximal) and 'then' (distal), which depend on when the speaker is making the utterance.
• 😀 The present tense is considered proximal (indicating present time), while the past tense is distal (indicating past events or unlikely events).
• 😀 The concept of psychological distance explains how physical proximity or distance can also be interpreted emotionally or subjectively.
• 😀 Some verbs, like 'come' (movement towards the speaker) and 'go' (movement away from the speaker), retain a dactic sense in spatial references.
• 😀 Honorifics and social dixis express social status or respect, such as using titles like 'Your Highness' or different forms of 'you' based on familiarity.
• 😀 Psychological distance influences how we interpret physical and emotional closeness, e.g., objects or people physically near us are often treated as psychologically close.
• 😀 The indexicals in a dialogue depend entirely on the shared context between the speaker and listener, making it hard for outsiders to understand without that context.

Q & A

What is the main linguistic principle discussed in the script?

The main linguistic principle discussed in the script is called 'dixis', which refers to the way language points to people, locations, or times based on the context shared by the speaker and the listener.

What are the three categories of dixis mentioned in the script?

The three categories of dixis mentioned are person dixis (referring to people), spatial dixis (referring to locations), and temporal dixis (referring to time).

What is the difference between proximal and distal terms in the context of dixis?

Proximal terms refer to things that are close to the speaker, while distal terms refer to things that are farther away from the speaker.

Can you give an example of how spatial dixis works in English?

In English, the words 'here' and 'there' are used as spatial dixis to indicate relative proximity or distance. For example, 'Come here' implies movement towards the speaker, while 'Go there' implies movement away from the speaker.

What does the concept of 'dixis projection' refer to?

Dixis projection refers to the phenomenon where a speaker mentally projects themselves into another location when making an utterance, such as saying 'I'll come later,' even if they are not physically in that location at the moment.

What is the psychological distance in relation to spatial dixis?

Psychological distance refers to the speaker's perception of proximity or distance, which can be influenced by physical closeness. For example, something physically close to the speaker is often considered psychologically close as well.

What role does psychological distance play in determining the use of 'this' vs. 'that'?

'This' tends to be used for things that are psychologically close, while 'that' is used for things that are psychologically distant, even if they are physically near the speaker.

How are temporal dixis terms used in English?

Temporal dixis terms like 'now' and 'then' indicate time. 'Now' is a proximal term, indicating the present time, while 'then' is a distal term, which can refer to both past and future times.

What are non-dixis temporal references, and how do they differ from dixis?

Non-dixis temporal references include terms like calendar time (e.g., 'on the 22nd of July') and clock time (e.g., 'back in half an hour'). These differ from dixis because they don't rely on the speaker's immediate context to indicate time.

What is the significance of verb tense in relation to dixis?

The verb tense can indicate whether the event is proximal or distal in time. The present tense is considered proximal, while past tense marks something that occurred in the past or is unlikely to occur.

What is the role of person dixis in language?

Person dixis refers to the use of language to point to individuals or groups, such as the speaker (I), listener (you), or others (he, she, it, they). It also includes social dixis, which marks social status, and honorifics, which indicate respect or higher status.

What are social dixis and honorifics, and how do they differ?

Social dixis refers to language forms that indicate the relative social status of the speaker and the listener, while honorifics are expressions that mark a higher social status, such as titles or formal forms of address.