ABSTRACT
Grounding is what is needed to single out an instance of a type or, in other words, to achieve reference in discourse. A so-called grounding predication is essential to the formation of a nominal or a finite clause. It invokes the ground (the speech event, its participants, and the immediate circumstances) ‘subjectively’ and specifies a minimal, epistemic relationship with the referent. Grounding is seen as a semantic function which can be grammatically implemented in various ways, most prototypically by means of deictic and quantificational expressions. Due to the basic human concerns from which it arises, grounding is both universal and indispensable for coherent discourse and successful interaction.
