Cataphoric Reference

Using a cataphoric reference is a way of pointing forwards in a text to something which appears later. It is common in all kinds of writing.

Cataphoric reference meaning

A cataphoric reference occurs when a word or phrase references a word or a piece of information that will be mentioned later on in the text or discourse. Cataphoric references can be compared to anaphoric references, which are words or phrases that refer back to something that has already been mentioned in a text or other form of discourse.

Whereas anaphoric references use antecedents (a word or phrase that is represented by another word, such as a pronoun), cataphoric references use postcedents.

Fig. 1 - Cataphoric references point forwards to words mentioned later on in the text.

Let's take a look at some examples of cataphoric references:

Here, the pronoun 'it' is being used as a cataphor to refer to 'the speech' which is the postcedent mentioned in the second sentence.

This time, the cataphor is referring to a person. The pronoun 'she' is used to refer to 'Mary'. We can use cataphoric references to refer to people, objects, or other nouns.

What is cataphora?

Cataphora occurs when an expression relies on a later expression in order for the initial statement to make sense.

Cataphora is used to make cataphoric references. These references can be used to:

• Avoid repetition.
• Create a sense of mystery.
• Build anticipation for the information that is going to be revealed (if the cataphor and postcedent expression are further apart).
• In texts, cataphoric references can be foreboding of future revelations.

How can you identify cataphora?

To determine whether a word or a phrase is an example of a cataphoric reference, we have to decide whether the word or phrase can be understood without the contextual information given later on (the postcedent).

If it can be understood without further context, it is not cataphora, and therefore not a cataphoric reference. If it depends on further context to be understood, then it is cataphora and is an example of a cataphoric reference.

Cataphoric reference examples

In this cataphoric reference, 'him' is the cataphor that refers to the postcedent expression, 'Paul'. Until we read the second half of the sentence we do not know who the word 'him' is referring to. Once we read the second part of the sentence, it becomes clear and the sentence makes sense.

Here, the cataphoric reference is using 'it' as the cataphor to refer to the postcedent expression, 'skirt'. The second sentence informs the listener/reader that the article of clothing that doesn't fit is a skirt.

Cataphoric reference effect

Cataphoric references are typically used to avoid repetition. Below is an example of a sentence without cataphoric reference:

The girl doesn't work, the girl doesn't study, the girl is lazy.

This sentence is full of repetition, if we want to avoid repetition then using a cataphoric reference is a good way to do this.

She doesn't work, she doesn't study, the girl is lazy.

Cataphoric reference is often used to create mystery, but it can also foreshadow events. Cataphoric references don't always contain a cataphor and a postcedent. They can foreshadow something that will be revealed later in the text.

Cataphora linguistic effect

A cataphoric reference can be used for different linguistic effects. Below are a couple of ways that cataphora can be used:

• Creating suspense and tension for the reader. E.g.:

"I saw him across the room, with a look that could kill. My teacher was always angry if we failed.

• Rhetorical effect. E.g.:

It's tiny, unnoticeable, and useless. It's my younger sister.

Cataphoric reference vs anaphoric reference

A cataphoric reference is the opposite of an anaphoric reference. An anaphoric reference uses a word/phrase to refer back to an expression already mentioned in the text/discourse.

• Mary was cold. She put on a coat.

This is an example of an anaphoric reference. 'She' is the anaphor that is used to refer back to the antecedent expression where 'Mary' is mentioned. If this sentence was written as a cataphoric reference we would switch the expressions around.

• She was cold. Mary put on a coat.