IV. Anaphoric reference (Hồi chỉ) and Cataphoric reference (Khứ chỉ)

1. Anaphoric reference:

In most of our talk and writting, we have to keep track of who or what we are talking

about in many sentences. We give initial introduction of an entity and have to use

various expresstions to maintain reference

=> use Anaphoric Reference

a. Definition:

- Anaphoric reference or anaphora is subsequent reference to already

introduced referents (G.Yule, Pragmatics 1996, page 22)

- The initial expression is called antecedent

The second or subsequent expression is called anaphor

In anaphoric reference: antecedent is mentioned BEFORE anaphor.

Let’s study an example to understand more about the definition and the antecedent-

anaphor structure:

Eg:

“There are 2 protagonists in the story: a man and a woman. The man was born in a

rich family but the woman is poor. However, they are in love.”

“A man, a woman” are antecedents because they are mentioned for the first time and

become the initial expression

“The man, the woman, they” are anaphors because they are used to maintain the

preceding expresstions.

Antecedents are often indefinite nouns (a man)

Anaphors are often definite noun phrases (the man) or pronouns (they)

Comparison with Vietnamese:

In Vietnamese, we also use anaphoric reference to maitain introduced entities.

“Những lúc buồn, có con chó làm bạn thì cũng đỡ buồn một chút. Lão gọi nó là

cậu Vàng như một bà hiếm hoi gọi đứa con cầu tự. Thỉnh thoảng không có việc gì

làm, lão lại bắt rận cho nó cùng ăn…” ( “Lão Hạc” – Nam Cao)

In this case, “con chó” is used as a antecedent and “nó” is used to repeat as an

anaphor. “Nó” is also a pronoun in Vietnamese, like in English, we use a pronoun as

an anahphor.

So there are similarities in using anaphoric between English and Vietnamese.

2. Cataphora reference:

Cataphora reference is reversal pattern of anaphoric reference. In using words to talk

or write, they don’t always use antecedents before anaphors.

When antecedents stand AFTER anaphore, we have cataphoric reference.

Cataphoric reference or cataphora is much less common than anaphoric reference

because it is only used when speakers or writers have a certain purpose.

- Let’s see an example:

"So I just want to say this to the Congress: An America that buys much more than

they sell year in and year out is an America that is facing economic and military

disaster."

(Congressman James A. Traficant, Congressional Record--House, Sep. 25, 1998)

The word “ this” is used first and difficult to be interpreted until the full noun phrases

is presented in the next lines. So, unlike anaphora, cataphora is used to mention

something or someone hasn’t introduced yet.

So, we should raise a question : Why do they use cataphora? (or what are the

functions of cataphora?)

As I said before, cataphora is used with a certain purpose of speakers or writter

=> There are 2 main answers for this questions.

- Firstly, it is used to emphasise the entity or the message presented by the anaphor

Eg: "It disturbed me quite a bit when young children had to get on the evacuation

buses and leave their pets behind."

(Steve Wozniak)

The writter use the word “it” to emphasise his idea which lies on the rest of the

sentence

- Secondly, it is used to draw attention and curiosity of hearers or readers.

=> Cataphora is tend to be used at the beginning of a story

Eg : Like anaphora, we can find cataphora in Vietnamese as well.

“Hắn vừa đi vừa chửi. Bao giờ cũng thế, cứ rượu xong là hắn chửi. Bắt đầu chửi

trời. Có hề gì? Trời có của riêng của nhà nào?” (“Chí Phèo” – Nam Cao)

To begin his story, Nam Cao used “hắn” instead of introducing Chí Phèo, which help

him draw attention of readers. Readers must make questions “who is he?” => begin to

pay attention at the character.