Glossary term C

Cataphora

Cataphora is the coreference of one expression with another expression which follows it. The following expression provides the information necessary for interpretation of the preceding one.

This is often understood as an expression “referring” forward to another expression.

(English)

In the following sentence, the relationship of one to a towel is an example of cataphora:

  • If you need one, there’s a towel in the top drawer.
  1. Gutwinski 1976, 67
  2. Halliday and Hasan 1976, 17
  3. Crystal 1985, 43
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