Intersemiotic interpretation of demonstrative *that* in modern TV series

This study investigates the intersemiotic interpretation of the demonstrative pronoun "that" in modern TV series, focusing on how visual deictics resolve its deictic indeterminacy, particularly when the referent is not clearly defined linguistically. The analysis, using ELAN 6.3 for annotation and a qualitative methodology, examines the complementarity of visual and linguistic deixis, distinguishing between explicit and implicit uses of "that," and exploring the transformation of "that" into "this." The findings demonstrate that visual deictics (arrows, lines, crosses, gaze) clarify ambiguity, reveal divergences between visual and linguistic proximity, and can even influence the choice between "that" and "this." The study expands upon traditional understandings of "that's" deictic function to encompass the dynamic interplay of multimodal communication.

Nana Zhou