This feature (based on WALS feature 41, by Holger Diessel) is about distance contrasts expressed by demonstratives, i.e. deictic expressions such as English this and that. Demonstratives indicate the relative distance of a referent in the speech situation vis-à-vis the deictic center (origo), roughly equivalent to the speaker’s location. When this and that are used contrastively, this denotes a referent in relative proximity to the deictic center and that denotes a referent at a greater distance, as in English This is my pen and that one is yours. Some languages have further distance contrasts.
