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Reference.org
Deixis
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<p>In <a href="/facts/Linguistics/oQuamvf2">linguistics</a>, deixis is the use of words or phrases to refer to a particular time (e.g. <i>then</i>), place (e.g. <i>here</i>), or person (e.g. <i>you</i>) relative to the <a href="/facts/Context_(language_use)/eJM44o7x">context</a> of the <a href="/facts/Utterance/LJLCwKDS">utterance</a>. Deixis exists in all known natural languages and is closely related to <a href="/facts/Anaphora_(linguistics)/gm1WHVBF">anaphora</a>, with a sometimes unclear distinction between the two. In <a href="/facts/Linguistic_anthropology/3aWsdbTX">linguistic anthropology</a>, deixis is seen as the same as, or a subclass of, <a href="/facts/Indexicality/WtYFDfvS">indexicality</a>. </p><p>The term's origin is <a href="/facts/Ancient_Greek_language/LIK7NlUh">Ancient Greek</a>: δεῖξις, <a href="/facts/Romanization_of_Ancient_Greek/KTELT9Aq">romanized</a>: <i>deixis</i>, <a href="/facts/Literal_translation/0cF1oFRh">lit.</a> 'display, demonstration, or reference'. To this, <a href="/facts/Chrysippus/y92CPwt2">Chrysippus</a> (c. 279 – c. 206 BCE) added the specialized meaning <i>point of reference</i>, which is the sense in which the term is used in contemporary linguistics. </p>