Reference Across a Text

Level 6Sounds Like deiksa: ovaǰ; taǰ; onaǰ u tekstu

In written texts and extended speech, demonstrative pronouns shift from physical space to text tracking (textual deixis). Тај / то is the unmarked, neutral back-reference (anaphora). Овај / ово points forward (cataphora) or picks out the latter of two entities. Онај / оно recalls distant topics, the former of two entities, or shared general knowledge.

How It Works

When constructing essays, reports, or complex arguments in Serbian, demonstratives operate as vital discourse trackers rather than spatial markers.

1. Neutral Anaphora vs. Topical Prominence: Тај and Овај
In standard Serbian syntax, both т- and ов- roots can refer backward, but with a crucial distinction in discourse status:
• Neutral Default (тај / то): Standard Serbian uses тај (and neuter то) as the unmarked anaphoric pointer whenever an entity or proposition has just been introduced: Влада је донела одлуку. Та одлука... / То значи да...
• High Thematic Prominence (овај / ово): Овај and ово can also refer backward, but they explicitly mark high topical prominence, subjective closeness, or an urgent focus of the ongoing argument: Влада је донела одлуку. Ова одлука [управо ова о којој ћемо детаљно расправљати] има далекосежне последице.

2. Forward Pointing and Textual Scope: Овај and Ово
• Cataphora: Ово typically announces information or clauses that follow: „Рећи ћу вам само ово: сви су положили.“
• Textual Immediacy: Refers to the work currently being read: у овом раду (in this paper), у овом поглављу (in this chapter).

3. Discourse Contrast: Former vs. Latter and Shared Knowledge
• The Former and The Latter: While literal онај … овај can occasionally echo spatial distance, contemporary academic Serbian overwhelmingly prefers први … други, првопоменути … другопоменути, or онај први … овај други to avoid unnatural stylistic calques.
• Shared Knowledge / Evocative Deixis: Онај points to shared cultural background, distant memory, or prior distinct discussions: „Сећате ли се оне расправе из маја?“
• Relative Head: Serves as the demonstrative antecedent in restrictive clauses: Онај ко ради...

4. Case Agreement and Syntactic Roles
When used adjectivally, demonstratives agree in gender, number, and case with their head noun, adopting whatever case is required by their role in the new clause. When summarizing whole propositions or clauses, generic то and ово remain fixed in the neuter singular, but they decline regularly through all cases depending on the governing verb or preposition: Слажем се са овим; О томе смо већ говорили; Због тога морамо реаговати.

Examples (4)

  1. Влада је усвојила нов закон. Тим законом регулишу се права радника, а то ће значајно побољшати њихов положај.

    The government adopted a new law. By that law, workers' rights are regulated, and that will significantly improve their standing.

    Word by Word: Government has adopted new law. By-that law regulate selves rights of-workers, and that will significantly improve their standing.

    'Тим законом' and 'то' serve as neutral anaphora, referring back to the newly introduced noun 'закон' and the entire proposition respectively.

  2. У студији се пореде роман и драма: онај се бави унутрашњим монологом, док овај почива на директном дијалогу.

    The study compares the novel and the play: the former deals with internal monologue, whereas the latter relies on direct dialogue.

    Word by Word: In study self compare novel and drama: that-one self deals with-internal monologue, while this-one rests on direct dialogue.

    'Онај' references the first-mentioned noun ('роман' - the former), while 'овај' references the second-mentioned noun ('драма' - the latter).

  3. Морамо запамтити ово: резултати истраживања нису коначни док се анализа потпуно не заврши.

    We must remember this: the research results are not final until the analysis is completely finished.

    Word by Word: We-must remember this: results of-research are-not final until self analysis completely not finishes.

    'Ово' functions cataphorically, pointing forward to the proposition introduced after the colon.

  4. Онај предлог о којем смо јуче расправљали ипак није прихваћен на седници одбора.

    That proposal about which we debated yesterday was nevertheless not accepted at the board meeting.

    Word by Word: That proposal about which we-have yesterday debated nonetheless was-not accepted at session of-board.

    'Онај' serves as an evocative demonstrative pointing back to shared previous knowledge from an earlier time.

Common Mistakes

  • Using "ово" for ordinary backward reference.

    Different MeaningБеоград се брзо развија. Ово значи да се отварају нова радна места.
    Београд се брзо развија. То значи да се отварају нова радна места.

    "Ово значи..." is correct. "Ово" points at what was just said and is more pointed. The neutral choice for backward reference to a stated fact is "то".

  • Using 'онај' as a direct translation of English 'that' for immediate back-reference.

    Купио сам нови рачунар, али онај рачунар већ прави проблеме.
    Купио сам нови рачунар, али тај рачунар већ прави проблеме.

    When referring back to an entity just introduced in discourse, standard Serbian requires 'тај'. 'Онај' implies distant memory, remoter discourse prominence, or an explicit spatial/temporal contrast.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Reference Across a TextLevel 6

Learn This First

Tracking demonstratives across discourse (textual deixis) requires a good grasp of the three-way distinction between 'овај', 'тај', and 'онај', their case inflections across clauses, and an awareness of discourse concepts like topic and focus.

Words in This Pattern

овајтајонај