Thisnimi

Thisnimi is a coinage used in speculative linguistics and philosophy of language to describe a referential unit that merges demonstrative pointing with a nominal label within a single expression.

Etymology: The term blends this, the English proximal demonstrative, with nimi, the Finnish word for name. It has appeared in thought experiments and some analytic discussions as a working term to discuss referential scenarios where labeling is introduced in tandem with pointing.

Definition and use: A thisnimi unit is typically a phrase that both identifies the referent in context and assigns it a label that can function as a proper name in later discourse. It is used to examine how reference may shift when the label is introduced concurrently with pointing, and to distinguish between immediate self-identification and subsequent naming.

Examples and status: Because thisnimi is not a standard term, usage varies across authors; it is mainly used in theoretical texts and occasional fictional analyses. The concept helps illustrate the interaction of indexical and nominal reference but has not achieved broad consensus or empirical application.

See also: indexicality, demonstratives, proper names, referential theory.