On the semantic features of the referent and their influence on the choice of the demonstratives in the Lithuanian subdialect of Kretingiškiai

ENThis paper aims to investigate the effect of semantic referent features on the choice of deictic words in the Northern Samogitian subdialect, i.e., Kretingiškiai. Based on the study by Rocca, Tylén and Wallentin (2019), the following semantic features were chosen: ʻanimateʼ/ʻinanimateʼ, ʻharmfulʼ/ʻharmlessʼ, and ʻbigʼ/ʻsmallʼ. A questionnaire specifically designed for the study was published on the Qualtrics Experience Management Platform. 783 people representing the chosen subdialect participated in the survey. The analysis of the collected data showed that not only physical or psychological distance determines the choice of deictic words, but also the semantic characteristics of the referent: referents with the characteristics ʻharmfulʼ and ʻbigʼ are more likely to be referred to with distal deictics than referents with the characteristics ʻharmlessʼ and ʻsmallʼ. These results confirm the findings presented by Rocca, Tylén and Wallentin (2019) with English, Danish, and Italian speakers. Keywords: demonstrative pronouns, semantic features of a referent, the Northern Samogitians, Kretingiškiai, spatial deixis, adverbs of place.