Deixis is a technical term (from Greek) for one of the most basic things we do with utterances. It means 'pointing' via language. Any linguistic form used to accomplish this 'pointing' is called a deictic expression. When you notice a strange object and ask, 'What's that?', you are using a deictic expression ('that') to indicate something in the immediate context. Deictic expressions are also sometimes called indexicals. They are among the first forms to be spoken by very young children and […]

[…] I beg that you will first present some evidence or proof that you are my superior in any way, shape, or form relative to the question in hand.

I got this bike free.

I'll give you ten bucks to use your telephone and for a pack of nabs and a cold drink.