Absolute Social Deixis
Absolute Social Deixis
Absolute social deixis is deictic reference to some social characteristic of a referent (especially a person) apart from any relative ranking of referents.
Often absolute social deixis is expressed in certain forms of address. The form of address will include no comparison of the ranking of the speaker and addressee ; there will be only a simple reference to the absolute status of the addressee.
(English)
- Mr. President
- Your Honor
Page/s: 207
Source: Levinson 1979
Levinson, Stephen C. 1979. "Pragmatics and social deixis." In Chiarello 1979
Broader Terms
- BT↑ Social Deixis
Related terms
- RT⇆ Authorized Recipient
- RT⇆ Authorized Speaker
- RT⇆ Referent
