Pronoun
In linguistics and grammar, a
pronoun is a word that substitutes for a noun or noun phrase. It is a particular case of a pro-form. Pronouns have traditionally been regarded as one of the parts of speech, but some modern theorists would not limit them to a single class because of the variety of functions they perform, including that of the personal pronouns, relative pronouns, interrogative pronouns, demonstrative pronouns and indefinite pronouns.:1–34 The use of pronouns often involves anaphora, where the meaning of the pronoun is dependent on another referential element. This applies particularly to the personal pronouns. The referent of the pronoun is often the same as that of a preceding noun phrase, called the
antecedent of the pronoun. For example, in the sentence
That poor man looks as if he needs a new coat, the antecedent of the pronoun
he is the noun phrase
that poor man. Another type of antecedent is that found with relative pronouns, as in
the woman who looked at you, where
the woman is the antecedent of the relative pronoun
who.