11/3/22, 11:29 AM Cataphoric Reference

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. 

 The ante-  in antecedent means 'before' or 'in front of' and the post-  in postcedent means
'after'.

Fig. 1 - Cataphoric references point forwards to

words mentioned later on in the text.

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11/3/22, 11:29 AM Cataphoric Reference

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

Example

It ran over time. The speech didn't finish until eight.

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

Example

I went to say hello once she arrived. Mary was usually early. 

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? 

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11/3/22, 11:29 AM Cataphoric Reference

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.

 In texts, a cataphoric reference doesn't always have to be a sentence with a cataphor and a
postcedent. It can also be an idea foreshadowed early on in the text that is made clearer later
in the text. 

Cataphoric reference examples

Example

Even though I called him yesterday,  Paul didn't answer my questions.

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. 

Example

It doesn't fit. The skirt is too long.

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.

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11/3/22, 11:29 AM Cataphoric Reference

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.

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11/3/22, 11:29 AM Cataphoric Reference

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.

Cataphoric Reference - Key takeaways

Cataphoric reference is used when a word or phrase refers to a piece of
information mentioned later in the text/discourse. 
Cataphora is an expression that can only be fully understood by using the
context of an expression mentioned later in the text.
Cataphoric references use postcedents.
You can identify cataphoric references by figuring out whether a word/phrase
needs context mentioned in an expression later on to make sense.
Cataphora is used to avoid repetition, build mystery, and for other linguistic
effects (such as suspense and rhetorical effect).

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