On non-referential contexts of using the pronoun ten (this)

Abstract

This article analyses the Polish pronoun ten (‘this’) located next to proper names in contexts such as ten Martynowski, ten Marek, ten Gdańsk, ten Giewont. Due to its occurrence in immediately next to two expressions which primarily function as exponents of specific reference, one can put forward a hypothesis that the investigated pronoun is not applied in its referential function in this type of settngs. Thus, it ceases to be a demonstrative pronoun, and assumes linguistic properties other than its basic ones. The aim of this study is to determine the linguistic nature of such occurrences of ten, also in reference to the thesis prevailing in the relevant literature, which, among other aspects, concerns the expressive value of such applications of the pronoun. The combinations of ten with proper names selected for analysis will be juxtaposed with non-obligatory occurrences of this pronoun next to nouns (as, for example, in the sentence: Na tym wczorajszym indyku można sobie było zęby połamać (You could break your teeth on that turkey yesterday).