DEICTIC FUNCTIONS OF INTERJECTIONS IN CROSS-LINGUISTIC PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

This article examines the deictic function of interjections from a pragmatic and cross-linguistic perspective. Interjections are approached not only as markers of emotional expression but also as linguistic signs that index participants, animate entities, and communicative intentions within discourse. Drawing on theoretical frameworks of linguistic sign theory and deixis, the study analyzes emotional, imperative, and vocative interjections in Uzbek, English, and Russian. Special attention is paid to imperative–vocative interjections used to address humans, animals, and birds, as well as to onomatopoeic forms that activate presupposition through contextual interpretation. The analysis demonstrates that interjections function as deictic devices by pointing to the speaker, the addressee, or the sound-producing object, and that their deictic force becomes fully interpretable only within discourse context. Cultural and pragmatic factors influencing the use of interjections are also discussed, revealing language-specific patterns of evaluative and personal deixis. The findings contribute to the understanding of interjections as multifunctional pragmatic units and highlight their role in the interaction between emotion, deixis, and culture.