Affiliation:
1. University of Alberta
2. University of California
Abstract
We focus on (a) the indeterminacy of reference, i.e., noun phrases which are described as having a ‘given’, ‘old’ or ‘definite’ referent, where that referent is unspecified; (b) the ways in which speakers shift reference between categorial and specific designations. The data reveal that talk displaying indeterminate and shifting reference is consistently accepted without being challenged. These facts show that reference can only be understood by considering how speakers refer locally, in the unfolding of social action, and that referential common ground is generally established despite the referential indeterminacy and fluidity. We thus promote the view that reference is a deeply social phenomenon, an emergent set of practices that is used and negotiated by people in real time.
Publisher
John Benjamins Publishing Company