MEANING
Whose reference depends on context, especially who is speaking, where, or when.
Use it for
Words such as “I,” “here,” or “now” whose meaning shifts with context.Use when analyzing context-dependent reference in dialogue, narration, or an argument.
On the page
In the message, “here” was deictic: it referred to whichever room the sender occupied.
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- deictic
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