Datapoint San Andres Creole English/Distance contrasts in demonstratives

There is a two-way contrast: dis 'this' - dis-ya 'this very' - da(t) 'that' - dat-de 'that very'. The emphatic demonstratives can be used discontinually. However, the preverbal variant (e.g. disya hous, datde hous) are preferred and while the discontinual variant dat ... de sounds naturalistic according to native speakers, the discontinual variant dis ... ya does not, although they admit it is grammatical.

Values

Two-way contrast

Example 10-72:
Dis die him bok op Beda Naansi.
Dis
dem
die
day
him
3sg
bok
buck
op
up
Beda
Brother
Naansi.
Anansi
This day he ran into Brother Anansi.

Source: Bartens 2003: 60

Example 10-73:
Disya leta da fi mi.
Dis-ya
dem-emph
leta
letter
da
foc
fi
for
mi.
1sg
This (very) letter is for me/mine.

Source: Bartens 2003: 48

Example 10-74:
dat buot
dat
dem
buot
boat
that boat

Source: Bartens 2003: 60

Example 10-75:
datde hous / dat house deh
dat.de
dem.emph
hous
house
/
 
dat
dem
house
house
de
dem
that house (over there)
Confidence:
Very certain