The Deictic Structure Hypothesis: An Overview[Note 1. I wish to acknowledge the generous encouragement and instruction ...]

The Deictic Structure hypothesis is a proposal for a generative grammar based on predication and deictic reference. It can be applied to a variety of linguistic data from typologically different languages. A Deictic Structure (DS) is the deep structure of a clause. It consists of a predicate together with referentially indicated ‘Deictics’ that can be developed into a Surface Structure (SS) by universal grammatical processes. Language‐specific linear ordering rules apply to the Verb and Deictics of the DS. A lexically explicit, syntactically complex phrase or clause can be substituted in Surface Structure for a Deictic from the DS. The Deictic or a phonetically null PRO may appear in SS. Phrase structure is a Surface Structure phenomenon.