ABSTRACT
Indexicals are as puzzling as they are common. We use them effortlessly all the time, yet upon closer inspection their very nature is the subject of vigorous philosophical debate. Indexicals are expressions that pick out different people, places, or things in different contexts. They include pronouns like ‘I’, ‘she’, and ‘it’; temporal expressions such as ‘now’ and ‘today’; locational terms like ‘here’; and adjectives such as ‘actual’ and ‘present’. Expressions like ‘nearby’ and ‘local’ are sometimes considered indexicals as well, though it is contentious whether indexicality should be construed broadly enough to include such expressions. Demonstratives, such as ‘this’ and ‘that’, are a subset of indexicals, those typically accompanied by pointing or other gestures to identify the referent. Both indexicals in general and demonstratives in particular give rise to puzzles about linguistic meaning and reference.
