华 中 师 范 大 学
本 科 生 课 程 论 文
论文题目
完成时间 2013年6月10日
课程名称 《语用与交际》
授课教师_______________________
专 业 辅修第二学位英语专业
年 级 2010英语双学位辅修
Pragmatic Analysis on Person Deixis From the Perspective
of Anti-pre-emptive in Chinese and English
Abstract：Deixis is one of the most important issues in pragmatics’ research. Deixis
possesses the characteristic of pre-emptive usage , but this pre-emptive usage is
limited conditional, and in some special context and stylistic will disappear, then
anti-pre-emptive appears.Therefore, this paper, taking person deictic expressions as
example, attempts to make an in-depth probe into and analysis of the anti-preemptive
phenomenon in Chinese and English and the pragmatic effects of anti-pre-emptive of
person deixis.
Key worlds：person deixis; anti-pre-emptive
摘要：指示现象是语用学研究的重要课题之一。指示词具有先用性的特点，但是
这种先用作用是有条件限制的，在一些特殊的语境和语体中会随之消失，即出现
反先用现象。本文主要以人称指示语为例，对英汉中的反先用现象以及人称反先
用现象的语用效果做进一步的探讨和分析。
关键词：人称指示语；反先用现象
I.Introduction
In linguistics, deixis refers to the phenomenon wherein understanding the
meaning of certain words and phrases in an utterance requires contextual
information.Words are deictic if their semantic meaning is fixed but their denotational
meaning varies depending on time and/or place. Words or phrases that require
contextual information to convey any meaning – for example, English pronouns – are
deictic.Deixis is a technical term which means ―pointing‖ via language. Any linguistic
form used to accomplish this ―pointing‖ is called a deictic expression. It is used to
indicate the function or property that certain words, such as personal and
demonstrative pronouns, place and time adverbs and others have in language.Due to
different aspects of reference being made and the functions to serve, deixis is divided
into five types. They are person, time, place, discourse, and social deixis. Levinson
contends that deixis generally words in an egocentric way. That is, unless otherwise
stated: The central person is the speaker, the central time is the time at which the
speaker produces the utterance, the central place is the speaker’s location at utterance
time or CT, the discourse center is the point which the speaker is currently at in the
production of his utterance, and the social center is the speaker’s social status and
rank, to which the status or rank of addressees or referents is relative.(Levinson
1983:64).[1]
The deictic reference and they are alleged to constitute a statement of the
implications of discourse often depend on the context and the speaker's beliefs or
intentions; therefore, the deixis’ research is playing an important role in
pragmatics.The pre-emptive usage of deixis is put forward by Levinson (1983) .He
considered that what pre-emptive nature of deixis is time deixis is taking precedence
over the corresponding phenomenon of directive words usage, but he did not depth
explore this phenomenon. Until 1990s, Chinese scholar Zhang Quan took note of this
phenomenon and carried out deep research. He puts forward the anti-pre-emptive,
which is referring to that directive words are taking precedence over deixis words usage.
However, their study was limited to the pre-emptive and anti-pre-emptive of time
deixis, nor a systematic explanation of this phenomenon.The paper will analysis on
the phenomenon of anti-pre-emptive on person deixis.[4]
There are many phenomenons of the anti-pre-emptive deixis. This paper will
mainly analyse on the phenomenon of anti-pre-emptive on person deixis from
perspectives of the theory of anti-pre-emptive, the phenomenon of anti-pre-emptive
on person deixis and the pragmatic effects of anti-pre-emptive of person deixis.
II Theretical Framework
2.1Person deixis
Person deixis concerns itself with the grammatical persons involved in an
utterance, (1) those directly involved (e.g. the speaker, the addressee), (2) those not
directly involved (e.g. Over-hearers—those who hear the utterance but who are not
being directly addressed), and (3) those mentioned in the utterance.[4] In English, the
distinctions are generally indicated by pronouns. The following examples show how.
(The person deictic terms are in italics, a signaling notation that will continue through
this article.)
I am going to the movies.
Would you like to have dinner?
They tried to hurt me, but he came to the rescue.
2.2 Pre-emptive phenomenon
The pre-emptive phenomenon of deixis refers to when someone mentions
person,things, objects, time and place in deixis domains of the speech activities,
people often tend to use deixis words to express. These deixis may be rejected the
words of other non-directive within the same meaning of the words in psychological,
The repulsion in the indicated context often has priority when used. For example, the
speaker of a speech events taking place is Mike, the time is on May 10, 2008, usually
the speaker will say‖today I have five classes‖, not saying‖on May 10 Mike has five
classes‖. If you really say that the hearer intuitive reaction is on May 10 is not today,
Mike is not the speaker and refers to somebody else. Therefore, in this example , the
person deixis ―I‖ and the time deixis‖today‖ have pre-emptive usage.
2.3Anti-pre-emptive phenomenon
Since the impact of pre-emptive, the participants of speech events usually refer
to the person,things, objects, time and place in deixis domains. Using nominal
expression reference refers to the person and things outside the deixis domains. If we
use the nominal expression reference refer to the person, things, time,and place in
deixis domains, the hearer will come into being the repulsive impact in psychological.
Thus that is usually not appropriate, however, in some special context and body
language, there still be a non-directive language replaced to the original words which
can use the reference domains such as people, things, time and place , people will call
it anti-pre-emptive phenomenon, that the pre-emptive usage is disappear.[4]
2.4 The influence factors of anti-pre-emptive phenomenon
Anti-pre-emptiveness of deixis results from such factors as lack of deictic
information, psychological activities of participants in speech event and so on.
2.4.1 The context and style factors
Under the condition of some missing contexts, person deixis is using by
anti-pre-emptive. For example, in the beginning of the session which has not been
determined the speech activist’s identities and among non-face to face special context, it was particularly obvious in English. For example phoning, English idioms is “This
is ... speaking”, when someone knocked the door, the response is “who is that”.
In a particular style, the person deixis will react the anti-pre-emptive
phenomenon. The openness features of pure person deixis determine that wanting to
ensure the person deixis need to rely on the special context. Therefore, many style of
written language such as declarations、letters and so on will appear the
anti-pre-emptive phenomenon. For example, in court, even the plaintiff lawyer asked
the defendant face to face is also used the anti-pre-emptive of the person deixis, ―请问
张先生案发当时在什么地方?‖, but the anti-pre-emptive doesn’t the authoritarian of
official language. In order to achieving some pragmatic effects, we often use the
anti-pre-emtive in informal style. For example―张三我今天把话搁这里了！‖
2.4.2 Psychological factors
The anti-pre-emptive of psychological factors influences the verbal communication of the language users. Generally, it considers their own feeling and participants’ psychological reaction. Comparing the first person‖I‖、the second person(you)、the third person(he or she) deixis，you will discover that the first person and the second person is the necessary components of speech acts, that is the speaker and the addressee(s). However, the third person isn’t the necessary components of speech acts, that refers to neither the speaker nor the addressee(s). Obviously, the third person is outside the indicator area, there are expending from the center outward expansion. Therefore, from first-person to third person, the effects of pre-emptive is diminishing, the effects of anti-pre-emptive is increase progressively.
Thus, when the speaker into the speech event, the per-emptive of the first、second deixis can close the psychological distance of verbal user. Whereas the third person is distancing. Finally, when the speaker want to close the distance, the third person deixis appears the anti-pre-emptive phenomenon.
2.4.3 Social-cultural Factors
Social and cultural factors impact on the anti-pre-emptive which is realizing in surnamed name, kinship terms and identity appellation and so on, reflecting the affect relations and power relationship. There is the claim and kinship terms among Cjinese referring systems in ancient in order to express the special cultural of the close family values. For example，when parents speak to the child will use the child appellation‖daddy‖ ―mommy‖. The anti-pre-emptive phenomenon is obvious in expressing the scale and the power. Someone has small power or low scale who uses the method of anti-pre-emptive for large power or high scale, addressing adverse’s position ―chairman‖ ―director‖ etc.
In addition, individual differences is one of the factors of impacting the pre-emptive phenomenon, for example children phrase. The children often speak to someone in claim themselves, such as that the child says to parent ―娇娇喜欢哪个娃娃‖.
III. Pragmatic Analysis on The anti-pre-emptive Usage of Person Deixis
3.1 From person deixis’ three constraints seeing its anti-pre-emptive
3.1.1The status of person deixis in indicative domain:
There is different of the status of person deixis in indicative domain, the repulsive of them(rejecting the anti-pre-emptive of equivalent language ) is not different. ―I‖ refers to first person, ―you‖ refers to second person, ―he or she‖ refers to third
person which is expending from the center outward expansion in the status of person deixis domain. ―I‖ refers to terminological nomination of its same reference, its psychological repulsion is biggest, the constraints of the anti-pre-emptive is strongest. The concrete of ―I‖in language activities is very definite, thus the speaker doesn’t use ―I‖ directly, whereas taking the roundabout way to use the terminological nomination words, which will make addressee(s) inexplicable on the contrary. Please compare below example:[5]
e.g.1:
e.g.2：小华今天去图书馆了。
From above two sentence, the speaker both of ―小华‖. We discover that the second sentence make people feeling the departure of center deixis, seemingly that ―小华‖ doesn’t the speaker but the other.
The per-emptive usage of ―you‖ has a small impact than ―I‖, comparing to ―he or she‖ is stronger. That is to say, the anti-pre-emptive usage of ―you‖ is stronger than ―I‖ comparing to ―he or she‖ is weaker. It is because that first、second person is the necessary component of the language activities , that is indispensable participant, whereas the third person is the unnecessarry component of language activities, that is the third side nor the necessary participant, being in the outside of person deixis domain, and at the same terminological nomination word the repellant is smallest, the power of anti-pre-emptive is strongest. In all f the person deixis, the number of the anti-pre-emptive phenomenon of third person deixis is largest and most complex.
From ―I‖ ―you‖ ‖he or she‖, the pre-emptive usage is diminishing, the anti-pre-emptive usage is incremental. That is say for universal phenomenon. That is not say that the pre-emptive usage of ―I‖ is highest, and the anti-pre-emptive usage of ―he or she‖ is best. In some conditions, there is quite number exiting of anti-pre-emptive phenomenon, the per-emptive phenomenon of ―he or she‖ is normal usage.[5]
3.1.2 The semantic property of the impersonal deixis form(terminological nomination words ):
The semantic property of impersonal deixis often limits the pre-emptive . When the language speaker want to express some particular semantic, the per-emptive of person deixis doesn’t work, thus anti-pre-emptive make a figure in this situation. The terminological nomination words are more rich semantic content and shades of meaning than person deixis. When person deixis expresses its reference function in any other situation, it is only expressing one type abstract, whereas terminological
nomination words is clear to directing the special individual, it may be said ―千人千面‖。
(a)The special context style:
To some context style, it often has some special request. There is different to linguistic convention. Therefore, the anti-pre-emptive is appearing. For example: (d)Epistolary style:
e.g.3: ―(你)‖(我)‖―(你)‖(你)‖在家里要乖，听(省略了―你‖)爸爸的话.
We find that the sentence almost nor the person deixis appear, inside and outside the brackets can replace, however, if replace the same person deixis ,there is little affecting between mother and the child.[5]
(e) Phoning scene:
e.g.4 : (省略了―你‖)以后要学会照顾好自己, 别让爸妈担心, ―她‖)还说(省略了―你‖)要多给家里写信.
We find that using the zero forming , obviously you can feeling the intimate relationship between grandmother and grandson or grand daughter. The pragmatic effects of anti-pre-emptive closes the psychological distance. The rich kinship working through the space-time of separate.
3.2 Analysis on the anti-pre-emptive usage of Chinese person deixis
3.2.1Expressing the mark characteristics of special status relationship: (a)Hen pecking relationship:
e.g.5: 他‖)说了, 下星期露西会去玫兰姑妈家的农场, 我也去,可以吗?(安德鲁在场)
e.g.6 :(会话记录)―谁给买的漂亮衣服呀‖
―‖(爷爷在场，问话人非爷爷或为爷爷具可, 可以相对应的替换为―她‖或―你‖―您‖)
(b) Identity against honour:
e.g.7: ――你‖或―您‖）明天还来吗?‖
―不了，我得上北平去呢, 现在局势尽得很‖
e.g.8:―你‖或―您‖)认为所到之处,哪个城市最令人难忘?‖
―罗马, 当然是罗马‖
e.g.9我‖)命你火速赶往冀中增援一三五师.
(c)Occupation：
e.g.10: ―我要解释‖
―我‖或―我们‖)有权现在逮捕你, 法庭会给你解释的机会.‖ e.g.11: (―你‖或―您‖)恐怕有所不公.
(d)Proper noun phrases：
e.g.12: ―我们必须全力打击这些非法分子!‖
―对, ―他们‖）在金三角可是什么勾当都干得出来.‖ (e)The small appellation of kinship addressing:
E.g.13: ―石头, 快别哭了, ―我‖)给你买漂亮的花纸, 做一个大大的风筝.‖
e.g.14：――我‖)帮了你那么多忙, 我‖)吗‖ It follows that through the anti-pre-emptive of person deixis, pragmatic effects is heightened, showing that anti-pre-emptive is choosing the pragmatic independently of language speaker, reflecting the function of pragmatic strategies in language activities.
3.2.2 Psychological distance effect
(a)The anti-pre-emptive of ―I‖(the first person): It refers to using oneself name or others’ name to replace first person‖I‖, for example:
e.g.15: ―我‖)的话 ,怎么龟儿子的, 你们也不听了嗦, 这―天下第一保‖的牌牌儿,可是蒋委员长亲自颁发的！‖
Generally speaking, ―I‖without unmarked relative to ―you‖and‖he or she‖ . Here, the speaker isn’t using ―I‖ but using the ―王保长‖, in order to make the speaker to adjust the psychological distance.
(b)The anti-pre-emptive of ―you‖(the second person):
e.g.16: 你‖)去吧, 给爸路上做个伴儿, 也好有个照应.
This sentence doesn’t use ―you‖ ， because the specific meaning of―you‖ is not enough definite.
(c)The anti-pre-emptive of ―he or she‖(the third person):
e.g.17: ―小朋友要学会关心他人,―她‖)一个.‖
―恩, 那好吧, 这苹果可好吃了呢‖
Using the terminological nomination to close the psychological distance, in order to clear the reference, enhancing the effect of language activities.
3.3Analysis on The anti-pre-emptive usage of English person deixis
The person deixis refers to the address between Participants in speech communication. There is three person deixis system, including speaker, addressee and any others. Such as sheet1:[4]
Sheet 1: person deixis
3.3.1 The anti-pre-emptive of first person
The anti-pre-emptive also calls terminological nomination of oneself, which is refers to use the oneself name and others for their call to replace the first person. In order to foreground the sentimental color of confidence, self dignity, humorous and humor etc.
e.g.18: Don’t cry baby! Mum is coming.
e.g.19: Dad will buy a toy bear for my little baby.
In first e.g, the claim phenomenon is appears between mother and child, the speaker uses the ―Mum‖ to replace ―I‖ , which is expressing the depth affection to the child. The second e.g is same to first e.g.
3.3.2 The anti-pre-emptive of second person
When the high status person calls someone, they will use the Id name to replace person deixis,which is expressing the loving, increasing the sense of security of hearer.
E.g.20: “Captain this way , please!”
In this instance, the speaker use the ―Captain‖ to replace the second person deixis ―you‖, which is expressing the respect of super-ordinate better.
3.3.3 The anti-pre-emptive of third person
E.g21: “Jim is a good baby, he knows he cannot eat of these candies, so, give some to Mary, ok ?”
This instance, speaker use ―Mary‖ to replace the ―she‖ to put forward the suggestion for ―Jim‖, which Jim feels that he is more close to speaker than Mary. That is increasing the effect of linguistic behavior, Jim will be more easy to accept speaker’s suggestion.
3.4 Analysis on the Pragmatic effects of Anti-pre-emptive of Person Deixis
There are multitudinous pragmatic effects in anti-pre-emptive of person deixis, may be summed up as coming under two categories: perspective of psychological distance and express specific emotions.[10]
3.4.1 Perspective of Psychological Distance
The speaker chooses the deixis which is based on the psychological experience of speaker in a language communication activity. The speaker makes use of the psychological basic from deixis to shortening or keeping the emotion distance between the speaker and the listener, for example being friendly, being close, or rusty and indifferent. The anti-pre-emptive of person deixis can see through the psychological distance which is coming into being different psychological identity.
3.4.1.1 The Anti-pre-emptive of First person
e.g22:―谁欺负宝宝了,爸爸找他说理去.‖
In this case, ―宝宝‖ replace ―你‖, ―爸爸‖ replace ―我‖ in order to indicate that I am standing in a public position. We all find fault with the person who si frightening the children. The scope of children is enlarging, so the children will get a lot of
satisfaction with sense of belonging and sense of security. Such expressing closes the psychological distance of each other, the children feel intimacy which he will produce a high psychological acceptance to the speaker.
3.4.1.2 The Anti-pre-emptive of Second Person
e.g23: A wife said to her husband(a general manager):‖总经理当然忙了,家里的这些只能我来做了.‖
In this sentence, ―总经理‖ refer to ―你‖, a wife calls her husband in this way, a wife is apparently undrawing the distance between each other spontaneous, which is expressing the resentful and complaint to her husband.
3.4.1.3 The Anti-pre-emptive of Third Person
e.g24: I never speak my thoughts to David, there never seems to be an opportunity. I think that’s sad... When my departing husband brings me a mug of tea and a Diazepan table.
In this case, the speaker uses ―my departing husband‖ rather than the third person, which is implying that this couple are short of intimacy and drawing away the distance of this couple. Therefore, the speaker uses ―David‖ at first and then uses ―my departing husband‖, this changing of person deixis imply that the psychological distance of them is growing estrangement, the relationship of them is worsening. e.g25: 在第三方丹丹在场的情况下,母亲对女儿说:‖小朋友要学习关心他人,快把苹果给丹丹一个.‖
The same of the phenomenon of the anti-pre-emptive of third person, using ―丹丹‖ to replace ―她‖, expressing the intimate relationship of the speaker and ―丹丹‖, which is unequivocal the referent.
3.4.2Express Specific Emotions
People use the address to replace the person of the indicator of deixis reference, which is frequently relating to express special emotion, such as expressing affirm, satire and emphasis etc. In this function, all of the first, second and third person are expressing the different role by themselves.
3.4.2.1 Positive and Emphasis
E.g26: ―我没有做这事，张力绝不会做这种事.‖
In this case, ―张力‖ replaces ―我‖, they are referring the same person, however comparing with ―我没有做这事,我绝不会做这事.‖, this sentence ―我没有做这事,张力绝不会做这种事‖ is more convincing. Using the terminological nomination to call oneself, emphasizing oneself must be not done such a thing, which is appearing articulated so forcefully and enforcing the language sense.
3.4.2.2 Sarcasm
e.g27: A wife said to her husband:‖我想和你心平气和地谈谈.‖ The husband said:‖哈哈, 是李燕要和黄伟谈吗?‖
This conversation occurred to one couple quarreling with each other. The husband called his name, nor used ―you‖ when called his wife, he intended to emphasize the sarcasm so that he could express the mentality of resentful and vent his resentment. Using the name to replace the ―我‖ and ―你‖ is apparently keeping at a distance between each other, which is cynical.
3.4.2.3 Humor
E.g28: Somebody didn’t clean up after himself.
This sentence came out of a wife. We can see that she made a criticism to her husband with a atmosphere of relaxed and harmonious. If this sentence is changed to ―You didn’t clean up after yourself.‖ The modal seems to aggressive. Therefore, using the noun phrase to indicate the listener which can come into being a atmosphere of humorous and lively.
IV. Conclusion
The research of person deixis is the important content, which is close relative to the users of context and language. Although in many cases, using the deixis is very convenient and simple, using the language is very complicated, therefore,
anti-pre-emptive phenomenon is appears which is very popular for people. Certainly, as one of the special condition of deixis phenomenon, there are many reasons for invocating the anti-pre-emptive usage.
The anti-pre-emptive phenomenon of person is the product of several aspect
including custom,culture, psychology and social context etc. Correct understanding the anti-pre-emptive phenomenon, which is helping to roundly awareness of person deixis from social,cultural and cognitive, thus instructing people to use proper linguistic strategies to proceed a successful communication. However, this paper
only gives a superficial analysis on the anti-pre-emptive of person deixis from the phenomenon of anti-pre-emptive of person deixis and its pragmatic effects. This is Just only a little aspect of the theory of anti-pre-emptive, we need more researches for it in order to learn more. Therefore, the further research will be need to excavate.
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华 中 师 范 大 学
本 科 生 课 程 论 文
论文题目
完成时间 2013年6月10日
课程名称 《语用与交际》
授课教师_______________________
专 业 辅修第二学位英语专业
年 级 2010英语双学位辅修
Pragmatic Analysis on Person Deixis From the Perspective
of Anti-pre-emptive in Chinese and English
Abstract：Deixis is one of the most important issues in pragmatics’ research. Deixis
possesses the characteristic of pre-emptive usage , but this pre-emptive usage is
limited conditional, and in some special context and stylistic will disappear, then
anti-pre-emptive appears.Therefore, this paper, taking person deictic expressions as
example, attempts to make an in-depth probe into and analysis of the anti-preemptive
phenomenon in Chinese and English and the pragmatic effects of anti-pre-emptive of
person deixis.
Key worlds：person deixis; anti-pre-emptive
摘要：指示现象是语用学研究的重要课题之一。指示词具有先用性的特点，但是
这种先用作用是有条件限制的，在一些特殊的语境和语体中会随之消失，即出现
反先用现象。本文主要以人称指示语为例，对英汉中的反先用现象以及人称反先
用现象的语用效果做进一步的探讨和分析。
关键词：人称指示语；反先用现象
I.Introduction
In linguistics, deixis refers to the phenomenon wherein understanding the
meaning of certain words and phrases in an utterance requires contextual
information.Words are deictic if their semantic meaning is fixed but their denotational
meaning varies depending on time and/or place. Words or phrases that require
contextual information to convey any meaning – for example, English pronouns – are
deictic.Deixis is a technical term which means ―pointing‖ via language. Any linguistic
form used to accomplish this ―pointing‖ is called a deictic expression. It is used to
indicate the function or property that certain words, such as personal and
demonstrative pronouns, place and time adverbs and others have in language.Due to
different aspects of reference being made and the functions to serve, deixis is divided
into five types. They are person, time, place, discourse, and social deixis. Levinson
contends that deixis generally words in an egocentric way. That is, unless otherwise
stated: The central person is the speaker, the central time is the time at which the
speaker produces the utterance, the central place is the speaker’s location at utterance
time or CT, the discourse center is the point which the speaker is currently at in the
production of his utterance, and the social center is the speaker’s social status and
rank, to which the status or rank of addressees or referents is relative.(Levinson
1983:64).[1]
The deictic reference and they are alleged to constitute a statement of the
implications of discourse often depend on the context and the speaker's beliefs or
intentions; therefore, the deixis’ research is playing an important role in
pragmatics.The pre-emptive usage of deixis is put forward by Levinson (1983) .He
considered that what pre-emptive nature of deixis is time deixis is taking precedence
over the corresponding phenomenon of directive words usage, but he did not depth
explore this phenomenon. Until 1990s, Chinese scholar Zhang Quan took note of this
phenomenon and carried out deep research. He puts forward the anti-pre-emptive,
which is referring to that directive words are taking precedence over deixis words usage.
However, their study was limited to the pre-emptive and anti-pre-emptive of time
deixis, nor a systematic explanation of this phenomenon.The paper will analysis on
the phenomenon of anti-pre-emptive on person deixis.[4]
There are many phenomenons of the anti-pre-emptive deixis. This paper will
mainly analyse on the phenomenon of anti-pre-emptive on person deixis from
perspectives of the theory of anti-pre-emptive, the phenomenon of anti-pre-emptive
on person deixis and the pragmatic effects of anti-pre-emptive of person deixis.
II Theretical Framework
2.1Person deixis
Person deixis concerns itself with the grammatical persons involved in an
utterance, (1) those directly involved (e.g. the speaker, the addressee), (2) those not
directly involved (e.g. Over-hearers—those who hear the utterance but who are not
being directly addressed), and (3) those mentioned in the utterance.[4] In English, the
distinctions are generally indicated by pronouns. The following examples show how.
(The person deictic terms are in italics, a signaling notation that will continue through
this article.)
I am going to the movies.
Would you like to have dinner?
They tried to hurt me, but he came to the rescue.
2.2 Pre-emptive phenomenon
The pre-emptive phenomenon of deixis refers to when someone mentions
person,things, objects, time and place in deixis domains of the speech activities,
people often tend to use deixis words to express. These deixis may be rejected the
words of other non-directive within the same meaning of the words in psychological,
The repulsion in the indicated context often has priority when used. For example, the
speaker of a speech events taking place is Mike, the time is on May 10, 2008, usually
the speaker will say‖today I have five classes‖, not saying‖on May 10 Mike has five
classes‖. If you really say that the hearer intuitive reaction is on May 10 is not today,
Mike is not the speaker and refers to somebody else. Therefore, in this example , the
person deixis ―I‖ and the time deixis‖today‖ have pre-emptive usage.
2.3Anti-pre-emptive phenomenon
Since the impact of pre-emptive, the participants of speech events usually refer
to the person,things, objects, time and place in deixis domains. Using nominal
expression reference refers to the person and things outside the deixis domains. If we
use the nominal expression reference refer to the person, things, time,and place in
deixis domains, the hearer will come into being the repulsive impact in psychological.
Thus that is usually not appropriate, however, in some special context and body
language, there still be a non-directive language replaced to the original words which
can use the reference domains such as people, things, time and place , people will call
it anti-pre-emptive phenomenon, that the pre-emptive usage is disappear.[4]
2.4 The influence factors of anti-pre-emptive phenomenon
Anti-pre-emptiveness of deixis results from such factors as lack of deictic
information, psychological activities of participants in speech event and so on.
2.4.1 The context and style factors
Under the condition of some missing contexts, person deixis is using by
anti-pre-emptive. For example, in the beginning of the session which has not been
determined the speech activist’s identities and among non-face to face special context, it was particularly obvious in English. For example phoning, English idioms is “This
is ... speaking”, when someone knocked the door, the response is “who is that”.
In a particular style, the person deixis will react the anti-pre-emptive
phenomenon. The openness features of pure person deixis determine that wanting to
ensure the person deixis need to rely on the special context. Therefore, many style of
written language such as declarations、letters and so on will appear the
anti-pre-emptive phenomenon. For example, in court, even the plaintiff lawyer asked
the defendant face to face is also used the anti-pre-emptive of the person deixis, ―请问
张先生案发当时在什么地方?‖, but the anti-pre-emptive doesn’t the authoritarian of
official language. In order to achieving some pragmatic effects, we often use the
anti-pre-emtive in informal style. For example―张三我今天把话搁这里了！‖
2.4.2 Psychological factors
The anti-pre-emptive of psychological factors influences the verbal communication of the language users. Generally, it considers their own feeling and participants’ psychological reaction. Comparing the first person‖I‖、the second person(you)、the third person(he or she) deixis，you will discover that the first person and the second person is the necessary components of speech acts, that is the speaker and the addressee(s). However, the third person isn’t the necessary components of speech acts, that refers to neither the speaker nor the addressee(s). Obviously, the third person is outside the indicator area, there are expending from the center outward expansion. Therefore, from first-person to third person, the effects of pre-emptive is diminishing, the effects of anti-pre-emptive is increase progressively.
Thus, when the speaker into the speech event, the per-emptive of the first、second deixis can close the psychological distance of verbal user. Whereas the third person is distancing. Finally, when the speaker want to close the distance, the third person deixis appears the anti-pre-emptive phenomenon.
2.4.3 Social-cultural Factors
Social and cultural factors impact on the anti-pre-emptive which is realizing in surnamed name, kinship terms and identity appellation and so on, reflecting the affect relations and power relationship. There is the claim and kinship terms among Cjinese referring systems in ancient in order to express the special cultural of the close family values. For example，when parents speak to the child will use the child appellation‖daddy‖ ―mommy‖. The anti-pre-emptive phenomenon is obvious in expressing the scale and the power. Someone has small power or low scale who uses the method of anti-pre-emptive for large power or high scale, addressing adverse’s position ―chairman‖ ―director‖ etc.
In addition, individual differences is one of the factors of impacting the pre-emptive phenomenon, for example children phrase. The children often speak to someone in claim themselves, such as that the child says to parent ―娇娇喜欢哪个娃娃‖.
III. Pragmatic Analysis on The anti-pre-emptive Usage of Person Deixis
3.1 From person deixis’ three constraints seeing its anti-pre-emptive
3.1.1The status of person deixis in indicative domain:
There is different of the status of person deixis in indicative domain, the repulsive of them(rejecting the anti-pre-emptive of equivalent language ) is not different. ―I‖ refers to first person, ―you‖ refers to second person, ―he or she‖ refers to third
person which is expending from the center outward expansion in the status of person deixis domain. ―I‖ refers to terminological nomination of its same reference, its psychological repulsion is biggest, the constraints of the anti-pre-emptive is strongest. The concrete of ―I‖in language activities is very definite, thus the speaker doesn’t use ―I‖ directly, whereas taking the roundabout way to use the terminological nomination words, which will make addressee(s) inexplicable on the contrary. Please compare below example:[5]
e.g.1:
e.g.2：小华今天去图书馆了。
From above two sentence, the speaker both of ―小华‖. We discover that the second sentence make people feeling the departure of center deixis, seemingly that ―小华‖ doesn’t the speaker but the other.
The per-emptive usage of ―you‖ has a small impact than ―I‖, comparing to ―he or she‖ is stronger. That is to say, the anti-pre-emptive usage of ―you‖ is stronger than ―I‖ comparing to ―he or she‖ is weaker. It is because that first、second person is the necessary component of the language activities , that is indispensable participant, whereas the third person is the unnecessarry component of language activities, that is the third side nor the necessary participant, being in the outside of person deixis domain, and at the same terminological nomination word the repellant is smallest, the power of anti-pre-emptive is strongest. In all f the person deixis, the number of the anti-pre-emptive phenomenon of third person deixis is largest and most complex.
From ―I‖ ―you‖ ‖he or she‖, the pre-emptive usage is diminishing, the anti-pre-emptive usage is incremental. That is say for universal phenomenon. That is not say that the pre-emptive usage of ―I‖ is highest, and the anti-pre-emptive usage of ―he or she‖ is best. In some conditions, there is quite number exiting of anti-pre-emptive phenomenon, the per-emptive phenomenon of ―he or she‖ is normal usage.[5]
3.1.2 The semantic property of the impersonal deixis form(terminological nomination words ):
The semantic property of impersonal deixis often limits the pre-emptive . When the language speaker want to express some particular semantic, the per-emptive of person deixis doesn’t work, thus anti-pre-emptive make a figure in this situation. The terminological nomination words are more rich semantic content and shades of meaning than person deixis. When person deixis expresses its reference function in any other situation, it is only expressing one type abstract, whereas terminological
nomination words is clear to directing the special individual, it may be said ―千人千面‖。
(a)The special context style:
To some context style, it often has some special request. There is different to linguistic convention. Therefore, the anti-pre-emptive is appearing. For example: (d)Epistolary style:
e.g.3: ―(你)‖(我)‖―(你)‖(你)‖在家里要乖，听(省略了―你‖)爸爸的话.
We find that the sentence almost nor the person deixis appear, inside and outside the brackets can replace, however, if replace the same person deixis ,there is little affecting between mother and the child.[5]
(e) Phoning scene:
e.g.4 : (省略了―你‖)以后要学会照顾好自己, 别让爸妈担心, ―她‖)还说(省略了―你‖)要多给家里写信.
We find that using the zero forming , obviously you can feeling the intimate relationship between grandmother and grandson or grand daughter. The pragmatic effects of anti-pre-emptive closes the psychological distance. The rich kinship working through the space-time of separate.
3.2 Analysis on the anti-pre-emptive usage of Chinese person deixis
3.2.1Expressing the mark characteristics of special status relationship: (a)Hen pecking relationship:
e.g.5: 他‖)说了, 下星期露西会去玫兰姑妈家的农场, 我也去,可以吗?(安德鲁在场)
e.g.6 :(会话记录)―谁给买的漂亮衣服呀‖
―‖(爷爷在场，问话人非爷爷或为爷爷具可, 可以相对应的替换为―她‖或―你‖―您‖)
(b) Identity against honour:
e.g.7: ――你‖或―您‖）明天还来吗?‖
―不了，我得上北平去呢, 现在局势尽得很‖
e.g.8:―你‖或―您‖)认为所到之处,哪个城市最令人难忘?‖
―罗马, 当然是罗马‖
e.g.9我‖)命你火速赶往冀中增援一三五师.
(c)Occupation：
e.g.10: ―我要解释‖
―我‖或―我们‖)有权现在逮捕你, 法庭会给你解释的机会.‖ e.g.11: (―你‖或―您‖)恐怕有所不公.
(d)Proper noun phrases：
e.g.12: ―我们必须全力打击这些非法分子!‖
―对, ―他们‖）在金三角可是什么勾当都干得出来.‖ (e)The small appellation of kinship addressing:
E.g.13: ―石头, 快别哭了, ―我‖)给你买漂亮的花纸, 做一个大大的风筝.‖
e.g.14：――我‖)帮了你那么多忙, 我‖)吗‖ It follows that through the anti-pre-emptive of person deixis, pragmatic effects is heightened, showing that anti-pre-emptive is choosing the pragmatic independently of language speaker, reflecting the function of pragmatic strategies in language activities.
3.2.2 Psychological distance effect
(a)The anti-pre-emptive of ―I‖(the first person): It refers to using oneself name or others’ name to replace first person‖I‖, for example:
e.g.15: ―我‖)的话 ,怎么龟儿子的, 你们也不听了嗦, 这―天下第一保‖的牌牌儿,可是蒋委员长亲自颁发的！‖
Generally speaking, ―I‖without unmarked relative to ―you‖and‖he or she‖ . Here, the speaker isn’t using ―I‖ but using the ―王保长‖, in order to make the speaker to adjust the psychological distance.
(b)The anti-pre-emptive of ―you‖(the second person):
e.g.16: 你‖)去吧, 给爸路上做个伴儿, 也好有个照应.
This sentence doesn’t use ―you‖ ， because the specific meaning of―you‖ is not enough definite.
(c)The anti-pre-emptive of ―he or she‖(the third person):
e.g.17: ―小朋友要学会关心他人,―她‖)一个.‖
―恩, 那好吧, 这苹果可好吃了呢‖
Using the terminological nomination to close the psychological distance, in order to clear the reference, enhancing the effect of language activities.
3.3Analysis on The anti-pre-emptive usage of English person deixis
The person deixis refers to the address between Participants in speech communication. There is three person deixis system, including speaker, addressee and any others. Such as sheet1:[4]
Sheet 1: person deixis
3.3.1 The anti-pre-emptive of first person
The anti-pre-emptive also calls terminological nomination of oneself, which is refers to use the oneself name and others for their call to replace the first person. In order to foreground the sentimental color of confidence, self dignity, humorous and humor etc.
e.g.18: Don’t cry baby! Mum is coming.
e.g.19: Dad will buy a toy bear for my little baby.
In first e.g, the claim phenomenon is appears between mother and child, the speaker uses the ―Mum‖ to replace ―I‖ , which is expressing the depth affection to the child. The second e.g is same to first e.g.
3.3.2 The anti-pre-emptive of second person
When the high status person calls someone, they will use the Id name to replace person deixis,which is expressing the loving, increasing the sense of security of hearer.
E.g.20: “Captain this way , please!”
In this instance, the speaker use the ―Captain‖ to replace the second person deixis ―you‖, which is expressing the respect of super-ordinate better.
3.3.3 The anti-pre-emptive of third person
E.g21: “Jim is a good baby, he knows he cannot eat of these candies, so, give some to Mary, ok ?”
This instance, speaker use ―Mary‖ to replace the ―she‖ to put forward the suggestion for ―Jim‖, which Jim feels that he is more close to speaker than Mary. That is increasing the effect of linguistic behavior, Jim will be more easy to accept speaker’s suggestion.
3.4 Analysis on the Pragmatic effects of Anti-pre-emptive of Person Deixis
There are multitudinous pragmatic effects in anti-pre-emptive of person deixis, may be summed up as coming under two categories: perspective of psychological distance and express specific emotions.[10]
3.4.1 Perspective of Psychological Distance
The speaker chooses the deixis which is based on the psychological experience of speaker in a language communication activity. The speaker makes use of the psychological basic from deixis to shortening or keeping the emotion distance between the speaker and the listener, for example being friendly, being close, or rusty and indifferent. The anti-pre-emptive of person deixis can see through the psychological distance which is coming into being different psychological identity.
3.4.1.1 The Anti-pre-emptive of First person
e.g22:―谁欺负宝宝了,爸爸找他说理去.‖
In this case, ―宝宝‖ replace ―你‖, ―爸爸‖ replace ―我‖ in order to indicate that I am standing in a public position. We all find fault with the person who si frightening the children. The scope of children is enlarging, so the children will get a lot of
satisfaction with sense of belonging and sense of security. Such expressing closes the psychological distance of each other, the children feel intimacy which he will produce a high psychological acceptance to the speaker.
3.4.1.2 The Anti-pre-emptive of Second Person
e.g23: A wife said to her husband(a general manager):‖总经理当然忙了,家里的这些只能我来做了.‖
In this sentence, ―总经理‖ refer to ―你‖, a wife calls her husband in this way, a wife is apparently undrawing the distance between each other spontaneous, which is expressing the resentful and complaint to her husband.
3.4.1.3 The Anti-pre-emptive of Third Person
e.g24: I never speak my thoughts to David, there never seems to be an opportunity. I think that’s sad... When my departing husband brings me a mug of tea and a Diazepan table.
In this case, the speaker uses ―my departing husband‖ rather than the third person, which is implying that this couple are short of intimacy and drawing away the distance of this couple. Therefore, the speaker uses ―David‖ at first and then uses ―my departing husband‖, this changing of person deixis imply that the psychological distance of them is growing estrangement, the relationship of them is worsening. e.g25: 在第三方丹丹在场的情况下,母亲对女儿说:‖小朋友要学习关心他人,快把苹果给丹丹一个.‖
The same of the phenomenon of the anti-pre-emptive of third person, using ―丹丹‖ to replace ―她‖, expressing the intimate relationship of the speaker and ―丹丹‖, which is unequivocal the referent.
3.4.2Express Specific Emotions
People use the address to replace the person of the indicator of deixis reference, which is frequently relating to express special emotion, such as expressing affirm, satire and emphasis etc. In this function, all of the first, second and third person are expressing the different role by themselves.
3.4.2.1 Positive and Emphasis
E.g26: ―我没有做这事，张力绝不会做这种事.‖
In this case, ―张力‖ replaces ―我‖, they are referring the same person, however comparing with ―我没有做这事,我绝不会做这事.‖, this sentence ―我没有做这事,张力绝不会做这种事‖ is more convincing. Using the terminological nomination to call oneself, emphasizing oneself must be not done such a thing, which is appearing articulated so forcefully and enforcing the language sense.
3.4.2.2 Sarcasm
e.g27: A wife said to her husband:‖我想和你心平气和地谈谈.‖ The husband said:‖哈哈, 是李燕要和黄伟谈吗?‖
This conversation occurred to one couple quarreling with each other. The husband called his name, nor used ―you‖ when called his wife, he intended to emphasize the sarcasm so that he could express the mentality of resentful and vent his resentment. Using the name to replace the ―我‖ and ―你‖ is apparently keeping at a distance between each other, which is cynical.
3.4.2.3 Humor
E.g28: Somebody didn’t clean up after himself.
This sentence came out of a wife. We can see that she made a criticism to her husband with a atmosphere of relaxed and harmonious. If this sentence is changed to ―You didn’t clean up after yourself.‖ The modal seems to aggressive. Therefore, using the noun phrase to indicate the listener which can come into being a atmosphere of humorous and lively.
IV. Conclusion
The research of person deixis is the important content, which is close relative to the users of context and language. Although in many cases, using the deixis is very convenient and simple, using the language is very complicated, therefore,
anti-pre-emptive phenomenon is appears which is very popular for people. Certainly, as one of the special condition of deixis phenomenon, there are many reasons for invocating the anti-pre-emptive usage.
The anti-pre-emptive phenomenon of person is the product of several aspect
including custom,culture, psychology and social context etc. Correct understanding the anti-pre-emptive phenomenon, which is helping to roundly awareness of person deixis from social,cultural and cognitive, thus instructing people to use proper linguistic strategies to proceed a successful communication. However, this paper
only gives a superficial analysis on the anti-pre-emptive of person deixis from the phenomenon of anti-pre-emptive of person deixis and its pragmatic effects. This is Just only a little aspect of the theory of anti-pre-emptive, we need more researches for it in order to learn more. Therefore, the further research will be need to excavate.
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