deixis
/ˈdaɪksɪs/
noun
- The use of words or phrases that depend on context (like 'here', 'now', 'I', 'you') to refer to people, places, or times.
- When you say 'I'll see you tomorrow,' the words 'I', 'you', and 'tomorrow' all rely on deixis.
- In the sentence 'Put it here,' the word 'here' is an example of deixis because its meaning depends on where the speaker is.
- Linguists study deixis to understand how language connects to the real world.