On the semantics of pronouns

Irena Szczepankowska

Uniwersytet w Białymstoku

Abstract

A subject of the article is the meaning of pronominal lexemes, which are treated in general linguistic studies as “non-notional” words or even words deprived of any meaning. In the first part of the article the author proves that pronouns are symbols of general notional categories whereas their substitutional function is subordinated to deixis. In the second part of the article the author presents the proposal at the classification of pronouns according to functional-semantic criteria whereas in the third part she shows a semantic potential of the analyzed class of lexemes as exemplified by the use of indefinite pronoun in selected poetic texts by Wisława Szymborska.

Keywords:

semantics of pronouns, functional categories, textual connotations, Wisława Szymborska