THE FUNCTIONS AND EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF DEICTIC UNITS IN RELIGIOUS TEXTS
Keywords:
German religious texts; deixis; deictic units; social deixis; textual deixis; emotional impact; discourse analysisAbstract
This study examines the functions and emotional impact of deictic units in German religious texts. It focuses on how person, social, spatial, temporal, and textual deixis structures discourse, establishes hierarchical and communal relationships, and elicits emotional engagement. By analyzing selected passages from German liturgical, scriptural, and homiletic texts, the research demonstrates that deictic expressions not only organize the text but also strengthen the reader’s affective involvement, highlighting divine authority, moral guidance, and shared religious identity.
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