Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika
–
Зарубежная
лингвистика
и
лингводидактика
–
Foreign
Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Journal home page:
https://inscience.uz/index.php/foreign-linguistics
An analysis of demonstrative pronouns in English
Sukhrob ERKINOV
Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages
ARTICLE INFO
ABSTRACT
Article history:
Received August 2024
Received in revised form
10 September 2024
Accepted 25 September 2024
Available online
25 October 2024
This article investigates the linguistic properties and
functions of the English demonstrative pronouns: "this," "that,"
"these," and "those." Demonstrative pronouns play a crucial role
in language by linking spoken or written words to spatial,
temporal, or cognitive references, thereby facilitating clarity,
focus, and organization in discourse. Using a syntactic, semantic,
and pragmatic framework, this study explores how
demonstrative pronouns allow speakers to specify proximity and
relationships, ultimately influencing how listeners interpret the
intended meaning.
2181-3701
/©
2024 in Science LLC.
https://doi.org/10.47689/2181-3701-vol2-iss4
This is an open-access article under the Attribution 4.0 International
(CC BY 4.0) license (
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.ru
Keywords:
demonstrative pronouns,
syntax,
semantics,
pragmatics,
deixis,
English language,
discourse analysis.
Ingliz tilidagi ko'rsatkich zamonlar tahlili
ANNOTATSIYA
Kalit so‘zlar
:
ko'rsatkich zamonlar,
sintaksis,
semantika,
pragmatika,
deiksis,
ingliz tili,
diskurs tahlili.
Ushbu maqolada ingliz tilidagi ko'rsatkich zamonlarining
lingvistik xususiyatlari va funksiyalari, ya'ni «this», «that», «these»
va «those»
o'rganiladi. Ko'rsatkich zamonlari, og'zaki yoki yozma
so'zlarni makoniy, vaqtinchalik yoki kognitiv referentsiyalar bilan
bog'lash orqali tilning muhim jihatini tashkil etadi va shuning bilan
diskursdagi aniqlik, diqqat va tashkilotga yordam beradi. Sintaktik,
semantik va pragmatik asosda, ushbu tadqiqot ko'rsatkich
zamonlari qanday qilib gapiruvchilarga yaqinlik va munosabatlarni
aniqlashga imkon berishini va oxir-oqibat tinglovchilarning niyat
qilingan ma'noni qanday talqin qilishiga ta'sir ko'rsatishini
o'rganadi.
1
PhD, Associate Professor, Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages. E-mail: suhroberkinov628@gmail.com
2
Master’s student, Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages.
E-mail: mukhammedovmaqsud@gmail.com
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika
–
Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика
–
Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Special Issue
–
4 (2024) / ISSN 2181-3701
31
Анализ указательных местоимений в английском
языке
АННОТАЦИЯ
Ключевые слова:
указательные
местоимения,
синтаксис,
семантика,
прагматика,
дейксис,
английский язык,
дискурсивный анализ.
В данной статье исследуются лингвистические свойства и
функции английских указательных местоимений: «this»,
«that», «these» и «those». Указательные местоимения играют
ключевую роль в языке, связывая устные или письменные
слова
с
пространственными,
временными
или
когнитивными референциями, тем самым способствуя
ясности, фокусу и организации в дискурсе. Используя
синтаксический, семантический и прагматический подход,
данное исследование рассматривает, как указательные
местоимения позволяют говорящим уточнять близость и
взаимосвязи, в конечном итоге влияя на то, как слушатели
интерпретируют предполагаемое значение.
INTRODUCTION
Demonstrative pronouns are integral to English, offering distinct functions in
connecting language to the context in which it is used. These pronouns indicate specific
objects or ideas to the speaker and reveal relational meanings, such as closeness, emphasis,
and importance. Through this study, we aim to examine the syntactic, semantic, and
pragmatic properties of English demonstrative pronouns, focusing on how they influence
discourse comprehension and listener interpretation.
The demonstrative pronouns this, that, these, and those are used to represent an
already mentioned or implied word or phrase, helping make communication faster and
easier:
1-picture:
2-picture:
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika
–
Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика
–
Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Special Issue
–
4 (2024) / ISSN 2181-3701
32
Examples
:
➢
This is her car, and that (further away) is mine.
➢
I don't like these (in front of me) but I do like those (further away)
➢
Our car has broken down, and it's snowing. This (the situation in which we find
ourselves) is not a good situation.
➢
He wrote about many places, including some small Greek islands; these (direct
antecedent in the sentence), he said, were his favorite places.
➢
That (= what you have just said) is not a very intelligent idea.
See the red jacket? I want that.
In the demonstrative (pronounced deh-mon-struh-tiv) pronoun example above, the
word that represents the red jacket mentioned earlier. The speaker is really saying,
“I
want the red jacket.”
ANALYSIS AND RESULTS
Demonstrative pronouns and adjectives are the words “this, that, these, and those”
refer to something, either replacing or modifying the noun in question. In English,
demonstrative pronouns are divided into four forms: «this», «that», «these» and «those»
each associated with specific spatial and referential properties:
➢
This (proximal singular):
Refers to a single item or concept close to the speaker
or recently introduced (e.g. «This idea seems promising»).
➢
That (distal singular):
Refers to an item or idea farther away from the speaker
or previously mentioned (e.g. «That solution worked well»).
➢
These (proximal plural):
Indicates multiple items near the speaker (e.g., «These
options look appealing»).
➢
Those (distal plural):
Refers to multiple items farther from the speaker or
known
from earlier discourse (e.g. «Those were memorable experiences»).
The demonstrative pronoun is another main type or one kind of pronoun in which
one uses the noun place, the demonstrative pronoun is used to indicate particular things
or persons, or directions. Pronouns mainly work to stop the repetition of nouns, which
makes sentences beautiful and meaningful. From this Pronoun, it is known at what
distance a person or thing is stable. Let
’
s try to understand how to use demonstrative
pronouns in sentences.
Demonstrative pronouns function both as determiners and as stand-alone
pronouns. As determiners, they modify a noun directly, e.g. «this book» while as pronouns,
they take the place of a noun entirely, e.g. «This is mine» This syntactic flexibility enhance
s
their utility in discourse, allowing speakers to adapt demonstrative usage based on
the need for specificity, brevity, or emphasis.
When used as determiners, demonstratives clarify or specify the nouns they modify.
For instance, “this movie” directs the listener to a particular movie in context, while “that
answer” differentiates one answer from others.
Used independently, demonstratives stand in for previously mentioned concepts or
items, simplifying sentence structure and reducing redundancy. For example, in the
exchange, “Do you like the painting? –
Yes, I like this,” the demonstrative clarifies focus
without repeating «the painting».
The meaning of demonstrative pronouns goes beyond simple referential functions,
as they are often loaded with semantic nuances related to proximity, importance, and
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika
–
Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика
–
Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Special Issue
–
4 (2024) / ISSN 2181-3701
33
familiarity. Pragmatically, demonstratives guide listener focus and often imply
the speaker's stance.
Demonstratives carry inherent semantic value based on proximity and specificity.
«This» and «these» typically indicate something nearby or of immediate relevance,
whereas «that» and «those» signal either spatial distance or temporal or cognitive
separation
. For example, saying “this idea” implies immediacy or relevance, while “that
idea” may suggest a shift in focus or distancing.
Pragmatically, demonstrative pronouns shape conversational flow, guiding
listeners by marking focal points and segmenting information. They function as indicators
of new or ongoing topics, helping listeners orient themselves in discourse. For instance, a
s
peaker introducing “this problem” in a presentation might signal it as the topic of focus,
whereas referring to “that issue” might imply a past or secondary concern.
For English learners, mastering the use of demonstrative pronouns is essential to
achieving naturalness and accuracy in both spoken and written English. Instruction
focusing on the spatial, temporal, and pragmatic distinctions of each pronoun form can
enhance learners' ability to express specificity, stance, and emphasis in their
communication.
CONCLUSION
The analysis of English demonstrative pronouns reveals their rich functional
versatility and importance in clarifying discourse. By understanding the spatial and
relational dynamics that demonstratives convey, speakers can achieve greater precision
and effectiveness in communication. This research underscores the vital role
demonstrative pronouns play in connecting language to context, ensuring coherence and
enhancing the overall meaning in discourse.
REFERENCES:
1.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314016608_The_Grammaticalizatio
n_of_Demonstratives_A_Comparative_Analysis.
2.
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/parts-of-speech/demonstrative-pronouns/.
3.
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/grammar/online-
grammar/demonstrative-pronouns-this-that-these-those.
4.
https://linguapress.com/grammar/points/demonstratives.htm.
5.
https://www.twinkl.com/teaching-wiki/demonstrative-pronouns.
6.
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/demonstrative-pronouns/.
