Reference is the relation between form of language expression and things in the world beyond language. Not all words have referential function; usually only nominal items, including nouns, pronouns, noun phrases and the like enjoy such referential function. Chinese nominal items which enjoy referential function regularly include pure noun phrases, noun phrases with demonstratives and noun phrases with the quantitative pattern of “one+quantifier”. The referential feature of these nominal items is governed by textual and pragmatic elements. In language communication, reference acts merely as a medium. It is accuracy and economy that determine the understanding and expression of language.

reference; finiteness; non-finiteness; generic reference; definability; semantic-pragmatic