Exoforyczny

Exoforyczny is an adjective used in linguistics to describe references that rely on information outside the utterance or text. The term is the Polish adaptation of the English exophoric, itself formed from a prefix meaning “outside” and a suffix that marks a relational function. In linguistic analysis, exoforyczny reference occurs when the interpretive anchor of a word or expression is the external context shared by speaker and listener, rather than something introduced within the discourse. This contrasts with endoforyczne (endophoric) references, which point to entities previously mentioned or established inside the text.

Exophoric references commonly involve deictic expressions such as pronouns and demonstratives (this, that, here, there) whose referents are situated in the surrounding physical or social environment rather than in prior sentences. The interpretation of exophoric expressions depends on situational context, including participants, location, time, and the perceptual field (what is visible). In discourse analysis, exophora is typical in spontaneous conversation, descriptions of visible scenes, and interactive dialogue.

In Polish scholarship, exoforyczny is treated as a specific mode of deixis, linked to broader discussions of reference and cross-linguistic variation in deictic systems. See also deixis, endophora, anaphora, and co-text. References to exophoric reference highlight how language connects to real-world context and shared experience, rather than relying solely on textual antecedents.