Pointing Signal
Are we pointing to this, that, here, or there?
Meaning
A signal that locates something relative to speaker, listener, place, time, discourse, or attention.
How to spot it
Look for this/that/here/there/now/then type pointing words.
Examples
this|that|these|those|here|there|now|then
this book|that one|over here|at that time
This is my favorite place.
Visual guide
Pointing from here/now speaker center: here, now near speaker: this away: that, there other time: then Use: this book, over here
Comparison shape 2-way: this = near that = away 3-way: near speaker near listener far from both Also: here/there, now/then
Language View
In your language
English uses this/that, here/there, now/then, and related words to point from the speaker's perspective.
This is my seat, and that is yours.
this/that = pointing signal
In learning language
Pointing uses यह/वह, इस/उस, यहाँ/वहाँ and related proximal/distal forms.
यह मेरा घर है।
This my house is.
Learners may confuse direct and oblique demonstrative forms.
Same block, different coding
Both languages use this block strongly, but they signal it differently. Focus on form changes, not only meaning.