Deictic Use Of Indefinite Expressions In English Conversation

Deixis is usually realized by deictic words like personal pronouns with specific referent if a context is given. There is, however, another way of deixis realization, that is, the deictic use of indefinite expressions.Generally, the referent of an indefinite expression is not specific even when a context is given. But in some cases, it can be used deictically with a definite referent for a special pragmatic purpose. Previous studies of deixis have mentioned this phenomenon as a special kind of deixis, but no further research or pragmatic explanation on this has been conducted. Also, all the former studies of indefinite expressions were carried out in the field of semantics focusing on the different senses of indefinite expressions rather than the functions and purposes of the usage.This study approaches the interpretation of deictic use of indefinite expressions which occurs frequently in English daily conversations in a pragmatic light. Sixty cases collected from about5000minutes’ conversations and other sources are examined and analyzed one by one from the perspective of deixis and conversational implicature and are classified into different categories according to Politeness Principle and other criteria. The results of what this study reveals are:The deictic use of indefinite expressions is qualified as a deixis despite some differences from traditional deixis because the context, which is an essential element for deixis, is also indispensable when interpreting the process of this special deixis. Speaker’s intention must be taken into consideration to check whether an indefinite expression is used deictically or not and determine what is the referent. The phenomenon occurs in a context where both the speaker and hearer(s) know or at least the speaker expects the hearer(s) to know which is the referent.With all the cases examined one by one, the phenomenon is proved to be calculable and able to follow the general pattern of working out an implicature perfectly. One of the prerequisites for a conversational implicature generated by indefinite expression is to flout at least the maxim of Manner in order to observe Cooperative Principle. It is also non-conventional compared with the conventional implicature, which means it has nothing to do with its literal meaning.Four maxims of "a" category and one maxim of "b" category in Politeness Principle are observed in60cases, in which about28.3%are observing Approbation Maxim,6.7%for Modesty Maxim,1.7%for Agreement Maxim, and63.3%for Sympathy Maxim. Each kind of cases observing different maxims are compared with other kinds and analyzed with examples. In the38cases observing Sympathy Maxim, compared with those observing "b" category, those observing "a" category account for a major proportion with32cases. Compared with the cases observing Sympathy Maxim where it is the speaker who have done something that the hearers do not agree with, in those observing Approbation Maxim, it is the referents or addressee who have done something the speaker would not favorite. While observing one of the four maxims of Politeness Principle, some of the cases are also observing the Irony Principle at the same time, most of which are observing Approbation Maxim and only four cases are observing Sympathy Maxim.Other classifications are also conducted, including classification according to the effect of deictically used indefinite expression on the force of remark, the different types of referents, and types of the indefinite expressions.This study not only indicates that the deictic use of indefinite expressions can be analyzed in the field of pragmatics which further interprets the nature of this phenomenon with its unique characteristics, and that this special use of indefinite expressions in English tends to observe Sympathy and Approbation Maxims of Politeness Principle, but also explains the flexibility of the language use which provides a way of being polite for language learners and users.