The Form of Referential Expressions in Discourse

Abstract

Most instances of real-life language use involve discourses in which several sentences or utterances are coherently linked through the use of repeated references. Repeated reference can take many forms, and the choice of referential form has been the focus of much research in several related fields. In this article we distinguish between three main approaches: one that addresses the ‘why’ question – why are certain forms used in certain contexts; one that addresses the ‘how’ question – how are different forms processed; and one that aims to answer both questions by seriously considering both the discourse function of referential expressions, and the cognitive mechanisms that underlie their processing cost. We argue that only the latter approach is capable of providing a complete view of referential processing, and that in so doing it may also answer a more profound ‘why’ question – why does language offer multiple referential forms.