Expressivity in Modern Hebrew

The main focus of this chapter is on Modern Hebrew constructions conveying expressivity via indexicality-related linguistic means, which inherently put the focus on the presence of the speaker. First will be considered demonstrative pronouns related to NP-oriented expressivity, which have been shown to give rise to an expressive inference through a mechanism of competition with a “regular” personal pronoun. Second, proposition-oriented expressivity will be exemplified through two constructions: those containing first and second person non-core datives and pseudo-coordination constructions with deictic motion verbs COME and GO. Both these constructions convey a counter-to-expectation inference, which in turn facilitates a context-dependent heightened emotional stance attributable to the speaker.