Article
Demonstrative determiners indicate a specific object or thing by means of a verbal gesture. For example, consider the sentences, "I want this basket," or "I want that basket." The words "this" and "that" are demonstrative determiners. They indicate which basket is wanted.
Demonstrative determiners are classified as either "near" or "far." A "near" demonstrative determiner indicates something near the speaker. A "far" demonstrative determiner indicates something at a distance from the speaker. In the examples above, the word "this" is a "near" demonstrative determiner. The word "that" is a "far" demonstrative determiner.
However, sometimes "near" and "far" demonstrative determiners do not necessarily indicate distance from the speaker. Sometimes a speaker uses both a "near" and a "far" demonstrative determiner to indicate two different items that are the same distance. Consider the example above. If a person is buying a basket in a shop, he may say to the shopkeeper, "I want this basket, but I don't want that basket." In cases like this, the "near" and "far" demonstrative determiners may not indicate distance. The "near" and "far" demonstrative determiners may be a way a simply distinguishing the basket that is wanted from the basket that is not wanted. This is a very common use of demonstrative determiners.
