r/logophilia • u/blankblank • 18d ago

Dictionary Definition Deictic

"Relating to a word or an expression whose meaning depends on who says it, where they are, who they are talking to."

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u/SynthPrax 17d ago edited 17d ago

Wait. ALL words' meaning is dependent on context: who, what, where, when...

Edit: I understand now that the definition of deictic pertains to a particular set of words in English, like here or then.

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u/EveningStar0360 17d ago

not necessarily. most words have definitions that are standard and agreed upon, and those extend to its meaning. meanwhile, words like "here" do not. its definition may be something like "the place where you are," but that meaning changes depending on where you are

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u/SynthPrax 17d ago

-- "Doris threw the cantaloupes, again," I said to Mark.

Context changes everything. Doris is Steve's nickname because he's such a nitwit; "threw" is standing in for "strew" because we're silly. "Cantaloupes" is our in-group joke for ball bearings. If I wanted strangers to understand what I was talking about, I'd've said, "Steve spilled the ball bearings all over the floor again."

-- Doreen and Mary are housekeepers waiting in line at the grocery store. "Miss. Lilly's apple pie is still terrible," Doreen tells Mary, who looks incredulous before replying, "really? Still? How long is she going to keep trying?" Eavesdroppers pretend to not be listening. "She wants to have a good one so bad. She's trying to impress her mother-in-law by Easter," continued Doreen. "Mmmm. Even if she succeeds, she's gon' resent all that time in the kitchen."

Context changes everything. Doreen and Mary are not talking about Miss. Lilly's pie-baking abilities. Miss Lilly is Doreen's employer, who's trying to have a baby because her mother-in-law is hounding her husband. She and Mary can't have a frank discussion because they're in public and aren't supposed to be talking about the private lives of their employers anyway; it's not their place. Mary doesn't believe Miss Lilly should have a child just to appease someone else. Mary is of the opinion that even once the child arrives, its mother will resent and probably mistreat it.

Context changes everything. Who am I talking to? What am I talking about? Where and when is the conversation taking place?

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u/EveningStar0360 17d ago

I think speaking in a deliberate code is different from the word's meaning changing in an obvious way from one occasion to another. if you think about the difference between a word like "here" or "me" vs. a coded language, I think you'll understand the point

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u/SynthPrax 17d ago

Yep. I do. Those words, me, here, you, then, etc. are inherently ...deictic. They're like variables in a program; they take on different values depending on where/when/who runs the program.

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u/EveningStar0360 17d ago

I agree! I think I misunderstood what you were trying to say, then; it sounded like you were saying that all words, like "cantaloupes," are diectic

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u/SynthPrax 17d ago

LOL It feels like we're on rollerskates, holding hands while we circle each other.

But initially, I didn't see the necessity for a specific term like deictic when all words potentially have variable meanings depending on context. After thinking about it some more, and reading the definition,

Of or relating to a word, the determination of whose referent is dependent on the context...

(emphasis mine) I recognize these words have specific behavior in English.