Timedeictics

Timedeictics are linguistic expressions that refer to time in relation to the moment of utterance or a specific point in time previously established in the discourse. They function similarly to spatial deictics such as "here" and "there," but instead of locating objects in space, they anchor events or temporal references in time. Common examples include adverbs like "now," "then," "yesterday," "tomorrow," "today," "last week," and "next year." Pronouns and determiners can also have temporal deictic functions, for instance, "this morning" or "that afternoon."

The meaning of a timedeictic expression is dependent on the context of its use. "Now" refers to the present moment of speaking, while "yesterday" refers to the day before the utterance. Similarly, "tomorrow" refers to the day after the utterance. This dependence on the speech event or discourse context is what defines them as deictic. Without knowing when an utterance was made, the precise temporal reference of these words cannot be determined.

Timedeictics play a crucial role in establishing temporal coherence within conversations and texts. They allow speakers and writers to orient their audience in time, to sequence events, and to express relationships between different points in time. The interpretation of timedeictics is fundamental to understanding the temporal framework of communication. Errors or ambiguities in their use can lead to misunderstandings regarding the timing of events. Linguists study timedeictics to understand how language encodes temporal information and how meaning is constructed in context.