Perspective shift in speech and thought event reports: A mixed-quotation analysis of indirect discourse

Abstract

There is a prevalent consensus that indirect discourse (ID), in contrast to other modes of speech and thought representation, does not allow shifted readings of deictic expressions. We present the results of an acceptability rating study which illustrate that temporal indexicals can receive an interpretation from the protagonist’s rather than the speaker’s perspective in German ID, as long as certain conditions are fulfilled. We propose that one crucial condition is that the ID matrix clause constitutes a report of a speech or thought event rather than a mental state. Based on Clark and Gerrig’s (1990) demonstration-based model of quotation and following Walter and Hinterwimmer’s (2025) analysis of shifted emoji readings in ID, we analyze perspective shift in ID as a case of mixed-quotation that functions as a demonstration of the original speech or thought event.