the function or operation of a deictic word; the function of pointing or specifying from the perspective of a participant in an act of speech or writing; aspects of a communication whose interpretation depends on knowledge of the context in which the communication occurs.
This refers to words that take their meaning from their situation or the text around them. These can be words used for individuals for example pronouns, as in: Where is John? haven't seen him. They can be words used for places, as in: I'd love to go to Paris. I've already been there. They can be words used for times, as in: Can we meet at five on Monday? I've already got something then. I didn't do it yesterday, and I won't be doing it tomorrow. - where the words 'yesterday' and 'tomorrow' can only make sense in relation to when the speaker is speaking - 'today'. Other examples: Put your hands on your head I can't do it - where 'do it' can only make sense in relation to the command that preceded it. Have you seen that they've released that child-molester after six months? It's a scandal. (i.e. that she was released so early is a scandal)
A term used to refer to the context-boundedness of language. The deictic aspects of linguistics mesage are those elements that refer to time, space and the interpersonal components. Purely deictic segments in English are 'here/there', 'that/this', 'before/after/now' etc etc.
denoting a word whose reference is determined by the context of its utterance-the word "here" is a deictic. Showing or pointing out directly.
Reference to the personal, temporal or locational characteristics of a situation. Pronouns, articles and other determiners are deictic elements.
Deixis is a means of expression based on the context of the remark. In other words, the meaning of the element/word is dependent upon the situation in which it is spoken (i.e. it is determined extralinguisticly, that is by factors not contained within the linguistic data). Deictic words include: “this,†“that,†“here,†“there,†and “that.†Example:“ This table is nice.†The demonstrative refers to a different table depending on the speaker“Jane is now here.†The referent of “here†and the time of “now†is variable as the speaker changes.
A part of communication in which the meaning of a word or gesture depends on the particular context at the time (for example, the words “here” or “there”).
In pragmatics and linguistics, deixis (Greek: δειξις display, demonstration, or reference, the meaning "point of reference" in contemporary linguistics having been taken over from Chrysippus, Stoica 2,65) is a process whereby words or expressions rely absolutely on context. The origo is the context from which the reference is made —in other words, the viewpoint that must be understood in order to interpret the utterance. (If Tom is speaking and he says "I", he refers to himself, but if he is listening to Betty and she says "I", then the origo is with Betty and the reference is to her.)