demonstrative
C1Formal, Academic
Definition
Meaning
Showing feelings, especially affection, openly and freely.
Serving to point out or show something clearly; in grammar, a word (like 'this', 'that', 'these', 'those') used to indicate specific things or people.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As an adjective, it has two main domains: 1) emotional expressiveness, 2) logical or linguistic pointing. The grammatical sense is highly technical and specific.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. In grammatical contexts, terminology is the same.
Connotations
Slightly more associated with emotional expressiveness in everyday contexts.
Frequency
Low frequency in casual conversation; more common in academic/linguistic writing.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
BE + demonstrative (+ of + NP)VERB + demonstrative pronounVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in 'demonstrative evidence' in legal contexts.
Academic
Common in linguistics (grammar) and psychology (describing expressive behaviour).
Everyday
Used to describe people who are physically affectionate or emotionally open.
Technical
Core term in grammar for words that point to referents (this, that, these, those).
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- She comes from a very demonstrative family, always hugging and kissing.
American English
- The lawyer provided demonstrative evidence, using charts to show the timeline.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My aunt is very demonstrative – she always gives big hugs.
- In English, the words 'this' and 'that' are called demonstrative pronouns.
- The study found that cultures with more demonstrative communication styles had lower levels of miscommunication in certain contexts.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a DEMONSTRATION – it shows or points something out clearly. A DEMONSTRATIVE person shows their feelings clearly.
Conceptual Metaphor
EMOTION IS A FLUID (She was effusive); CLARITY IS VISIBILITY (demonstrative proof).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'демонстративный' (which can mean 'showy' or 'ostentatious' with a negative connotation). The English 'demonstrative' for emotions is neutral or positive. The grammatical term is 'указательное местоимение/прилагательное'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'demonstrative' to mean 'aggressive' or 'argumentative' (confusion with 'confrontational'). Incorrect: *He was very demonstrative during the debate. Correct: He was very argumentative during the debate.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a demonstrative determiner?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is generally neutral or positive when describing emotional expressiveness. It can be negative if the context implies excessive or inappropriate showing of emotion.
A demonstrative adjective comes before a noun ('this book'), while a demonstrative pronoun stands alone ('this is mine').
Yes, in grammar, it is a standard term for the category of words including 'this,' 'that,' 'these,' and 'those' (e.g., 'In this sentence, 'that' is a demonstrative').
Yes, adverbs like 'very,' 'highly,' or 'extremely' can modify the adjective 'demonstrative' when referring to emotional expression.