Katafor

Katafor, also encountered as cataphora in English linguistics, is a linguistic phenomenon in which a referring expression points forward to an antecedent that appears later in the discourse. The term katafor is used in some non-English sources or transliterations to describe this forward reference, while cataphora remains the standard label in most English-language literature. The concept derives from Greek roots meaning to carry forward, indicating that the referent is introduced after the referring element.

An example helps illustrate the idea: Before he arrived, John had already left. The pronoun he cataphorically refers to John, which is mentioned later in the sentence. In this case, the forward reference creates a particular discourse effect, often delaying identification of the referent for stylistic or structural reasons.

Katafor is contrasted with anaphora, where the referring expression traces back to an antecedent that has already been introduced earlier in the discourse. Cataphor is more common in languages or styles that permit flexible word order or heavy use of pronouns. It can serve to create suspense, focus attention on the forthcoming referent, or avoid premature repetition of a proper name.

In linguistic analysis, cataphora is considered a legitimate device for cohesion and reference management, though it is generally less frequent than backward references. Researchers distinguish cataphoric references by their direction of reference and by the grammatical and discourse contexts in which they appear.