Re: Fourth Person

Christopher Palmer wrote:

> On Sun, 4 Oct 1998, Tom Wier wrote:
>
> > Personness is, after all, only a matter of deixis:
>
> No, it isn't. For example, I'm speaking to you, even though you are far
> away. Are you the third person in the email? No, you're the second person
> -- the hearer.
>
> Deixis and discursive role are two different and non-covarying things.
If you will please consult a good linguistics encyclopedia [ :) ], you will
find that deixis does _not_ just mean physical relationships.  That is why
I specifically said "physical deixis", because that is *not* a redundant
phrase.  "Deixis" in linguistics just means a degreed series of relationships,
of which the physical demonstrative deixis of pronouns like "that", "this",
etc. are only an instantiation.  Physical deixis is, on the other hand, the
most commonly cited form of deixis.

Therefore, let us apply the term deixis to the pronoun system, as it is
certainly a series of degreed relationships with reference to personness.
When you apply the term deixis to pronouns, it is speaking of metaphorical
distance.  As I said in my email, first person can be equated to have a situation
where there is identity of the person speaking and the person being spoken
about (where one is speaking about oneself).  Anything beyond this becomes
a relation where the distance between the speaker and the spoken is expressed
as a manner of degrees.

I'm glad we've had this discussion.  This has firmed up some ideas I had
about it.



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Tom Wier <artabanos@...>
ICQ#: 4315704   AIM: Deuterotom
Website: <http://www.angelfire.com/tx/eclectorium/>
"Cogito ergo sum, sed credo ergo ero."

"Ille se profecisse sciat cui Cicero valde placebit."
   - poster found on professor's door.
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