Deictic Expressions in the Short Story “Thank You, Ma’am”: A Pragmatic Study Based on Levinson`s Theory

Abstract

This research explores the use of deictic expressions in the short story “Thank You, Ma’am” by Langston  Hughes. Deixis refers to words or phrases such as I, here, or tomorrow, which cannot be fully understood  without knowing the context. These expressions play an important role in pragmatics, especially in analyzing  how speakers and listeners interact. The main aim of this study is to identify and categorize the types of deixis  used in the story and to explain their function in shaping meaning and relationships between the characters.   This study uses a qualitative descriptive method and applies Stephen C. Levinson’s (1983) theory of deixis,  supported by George Yule’s (1996) explanation of deixis in everyday language. The data were collected from  the short story text and analyzed based on five types of deixis: person, place, time, discourse, and social. A  total of 72 deixis expressions were identified, with person deixis being the most frequent, reflecting the close  personal interaction between Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones and Roger. Social deixis, such as the use  of “Ma’am,” shows politeness and power relations. Time and place deixis help build the setting and mood,  while discourse deixis connects parts of the conversation.  The findings show that deixis in literary texts is more than just grammar, it reveals character roles, emotions,  and the dynamics of communication. This study confirms that deixis is a useful tool in understanding how  meaning is built in short stories.