Referring expression¶
In linguistics, a referring expression (RE) is any noun phrase, or surrogate for a noun phrase, whose function in discourse is to identify some individual object.
Core Idea¶
Referring expression is treated here as the recurring semantics identity summarized by this source-grounded definition: In linguistics, a referring expression (RE) is any noun phrase, or surrogate for a noun phrase, whose function in discourse is to identify some individual object. In linguistics, a referring expression (RE) is any noun phrase, or surrogate for a noun phrase, whose function in discourse is to identify some individual object. The technical terminology for identify differs a great deal from one school of linguistics to another.
Scope of Application¶
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Kinds. Proper names are often taken to refer, in principle, to the same referent independently of the context in which the name is used and in all possible worlds, i.e. they.
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Kinds. If a local pub is called The Anchor, this is simply a label which functions conversationally with no appeal to the meaning of the words.
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Kinds of reference relations. English allows such expressions to be ambiguous: compare Manchester United are rich beyond my wildest dreams.
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Documented setting. In linguistics, a referring expression (RE) is any noun phrase, or surrogate for a noun phrase, whose function in discourse is to identify some individual object.
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Documented setting. Various devices can be used for reference including determiners, pronouns, proper names.
Clarity¶
A clear use of Referring expression names the carrier, the operative relation, and the conditions under which the source treats the identity as present. The minimal definition is In linguistics, a referring expression (RE) is any noun phrase, or surrogate for a noun phrase, whose function in discourse is to identify some individual object.
Manages Complexity¶
Referring expression compresses multiple semantics details into a stable diagnostic relation. The source shows both the central mechanism—the referent of such a pronoun may vary according to context - e.g. the referent of me depends on who the speaker is - and this property is technically an instance of deixis.—and the practical consequence—english allows such expressions to be ambiguous: compare Manchester United are rich beyond my wildest dreams.
Abstract Reasoning¶
- Type the carrier. Identify the semantics entities to which the claim applies.
- State the relation. Use the source-grounded identity: In linguistics, a referring expression (RE) is any noun phrase, or surrogate for a noun phrase, whose function in discourse is to identify some individual object.
- Check operation and conditions. The intimate link between proper names and type (1) REs are shown by the definite article that appears in many of them.
- Demand recognition evidence.
Knowledge Transfer¶
Within the home domain. Knowledge about Referring expression transfers literally when a new case preserves the same carrier type, relation, and recognition test. Proper names are often taken to refer, in principle, to the same referent independently of the context in which the name is used and in all possible worlds, i.e. they are in Saul Kripke's terminology rigid designators. If a local pub is called The Anchor, this is simply a label which functions conversationally with no appeal to the meaning of the words. Beyond the home domain. No canonical parent is asserted for Referring expression.
Neighborhood in Abstraction Space¶
Referring expression sits in a crowded region of the domain-specific corpus (39th percentile for distinctiveness): several abstractions share nearly its structure, so a description that fits it tends to fit its neighbors too.
Family — Grammatical Case & Reference (10 abstractions)
Nearest neighbors
- Categorial Grammar — 0.89
- Grammatical case — 0.88
- Data element — 0.88
- Montague Grammar — 0.87
- Grammatical gender — 0.87
Computed from structural-signature embeddings · 2026-10-08