demonstratíva

Demonstrativa is a term primarily used in linguistics to refer to words or phrases that serve to point out or indicate something specific. These are often referred to as demonstrative pronouns, demonstrative adjectives, or demonstrative determiners, depending on their grammatical function. The most common examples in English are "this," "that," "these," and "those."

These words function by distinguishing an object or concept from others. "This" and "these" typically indicate something that is near to the speaker, either in physical proximity or in time. "That" and "those," conversely, usually point to something further away. For instance, "this book" refers to a book close to the speaker, while "that book" refers to one at a distance.

Demonstratives can also be used to refer back to something previously mentioned in a discourse, acting as a form of anaphora. In this context, they help to maintain clarity and coherence by explicitly linking parts of the text. The specific form of the demonstrative can vary across languages, sometimes incorporating distinctions for gender, number, or even a three-way spatial distinction (near, intermediate, far). The core function, however, remains the same: to provide a deictic reference, grounding the utterance in a specific context.