referiri

Referiri is a proposed term in theoretical linguistics describing a type of referential strategy in which the referent of a later clause is established primarily through a discourse-connected verbal construction rather than by a direct nominal expression. In this scheme, the speaker relies on the prior context to identify the referent, and the referential link is foregrounded in the verb or a related particle rather than in a noun phrase.

Etymology and status: The term combines refer- (to refer) with iri, an imagined infinitive form used to label the device; it is modeled on familiar forms such as referirse or referir, but it is not drawn from a single natural language. The concept emerged in syntheses of discourse analysis and typology and is the subject of ongoing scholarly debate; some researchers treat referiri as a functional category rather than a discrete morphosyntactic item.

Linguistic properties: Referiri-like devices are described as appearing in languages with strong discourse cohesion; they may involve verbs that select a prior antecedent within the same discourse episode and sometimes co-occur with mood or evidential markers. They function to reduce redundancy and emphasize discourse continuity. Cross-linguistic evidence remains limited and contested, with varying analyses on its scope and formal realization.

Relation to related concepts: It intersects with anaphora, cataphora, and discourse deixis. Critics argue that what is labeled referiri can often be explained by established devices of pronoun use or zero anaphora. Proponents maintain that referiri highlights a distinct pattern of referent anchoring that merits separate typological attention.

See also: Anaphora, Deixis, Cataphora, Discourse analysis.

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