refererende

Refererende is an adjective used in linguistics to describe expressions whose primary function is to refer to a person, place, thing, or concept that is currently in the discourse or assumed to be known to the listener. The term is derived from the verb referere ("to refer") with the present participle suffix -ende, and it is used to distinguish refererende expressions from non-referential language that merely describes properties or actions without pointing to a specific referent.

Refererende expressions include pronouns (he, she, they), demonstratives (this, that, these, those), and definite noun phrases (the book, the committee). Their interpretation depends on context, including prior discourse and shared world knowledge. They enable anaphora, where a later sentence points back to an earlier referent, and deixis, where reference shifts with the speaker's location or perspective.

In discourse, refererende expressions contribute to coherence by maintaining a stable referent across sentences. They vary in degree of specification: some uniquely identify a referent, while others rely on context for resolution.

Relation to related terms: they are distinguished from descriptive or predicate expressions that do not reference specific entities. They are discussed alongside concepts such as referent, deixis, anaphora, and demonstratives.

See also: deixis, anaphora, referent, demonstratives, pronouns.