deiktyki

Deiktyki is a linguistic term used to describe deictics or demonstratives—words and expressions whose reference shifts with the context of utterance. This category includes demonstrative adjectives and pronouns (such as this, that, these, those), demonstrative adverbs (here, there, now, then), and related markers that locate entities in space, time, or discourse. In practical terms, deiktyki help point to something within a speaker’s environment or perspective without requiring repetition.

Etymology and usage: The name derives from Greek roots meaning “to show” or “to point to,” reflecting their function of indicating referents relative to the speaker, listener, or situation. In linguistic literature, deiktyki encompasses elements that anchor references to a deictic centre, which can shift across contexts.

Types: Deictic expressions are commonly categorized into person deixis (pronouns such as I, you, we), place deixis (here, there), time deixis (now, then), discourse deixis (references to prior text or conversation), and social deixis (markers of social relation or formality). Many languages also encode distance or proximity in their demonstratives, resulting in proximal, distal, or intermediate systems. Some languages extend deictic meaning into multiple dimensions, including spatial and temporal axes.

Function and phenomena: Deiktyki enable reference without explicit repetition, support cohesion and discourse structure, and rely on contextual cues such as speaker position, interlocutor, and the moment of speaking. They interact with morphology, syntax, and prosody in natural language use.

See also: deixis; demonstratives; deictic center.