Bridging demonstratives in recognitional use

Abstract Reference to an implicit argument in a bridging context is made by definite determiner phrases (DPs) ( a book... the author ), and it is assumed that demonstrative DPs are not felicitous in such contexts ( a book... #that author ). However, the literature reports bridging contexts with demonstrative DPs. We argue that the recognitional use of demonstratives, first described in Himmelmann ( 1996 , 1997 ), can license demonstrative DPs in such contexts. Bridging contexts rely on general knowledge, making definite DPs the default in the “larger situational use” ( Hawkins 1978 ). We argue that demonstrative DPs are possible in such contexts if they signal special shared knowledge between speaker and hearer, i.e. if they are recognitional. Two rating tasks with evaluative adjectives provide evidence for the recognitional function of bridging demonstratives.