Indexical pronouns: Generic uses as clues to their structure

Abstract

This paper explores the idea that first and second person indexical pronouns have one common identical source based on an index. This approach derives the distinction between hearer and speaker by means of spatio-temporal anchoring of the indexical base to the utterance context. Accordingly, it is argued that the deictic category person is nonatomic but dependent on spatial (and temporal) deixes. Evidence is drawn from data concerning various types of second person pronouns and their interpretation. It will be shown that the generic use of second person pronouns available in a large number of languages underlies specific morphosyntactic restrictions that have so far remained undiscussed in the relevant literature that mainly sought a purely semantic account of the phenomenon (Alonso-Ovalle 2002; Malamud 2007). Based on a number of Indo-European languages, it will be shown that certain contexts require the indexical to be temporally anchored to the utterance context giving rise to a strictly indexical interpretation. Generic interpretations are available if the indexical is only spatially but not temporally anchored.