Spanish spatial deictic adverbs: interpretation and discourse functioning with depersonalizing constructions

Abstract

In this paper, I analyze the ways in which spatial deictic adverbs function in Spanish. More concretely, through an analysis of spatial deictic adverbs used with depersonalizing constructions, I show how, in the absence of person deictic forms, the interpretation of spatial deictic adverbs depends not only on the physical, but more crucially on contextual cues in the discursive context. Moreover, I show that spatial adverbs used with depersonalizing constructions fulfill different functions in discourse construction than when they are used in combination with person deixis or with a concrete 3rd person reference. Indeed, in the absence of person deixis, spatial deictic adverbs take up crucial functions for the cohesion of the linguistic production.