Glossary of Linguistic Terms

Authorized Recipient

Definition: 

An authorized recipient is an addressee, having a unique status or belonging to a socially defined group, with whom one or more distinctive linguistic forms is used.

Discussion: 

The use of distinctive linguistic forms for an authorized recipient expresses absolute social deixis.

Examples: 

(English, Tunica)

An authorized recipient would be the appropriate person to receive a term of address such as Your Honor or Mr. President.

Here is an example in Tunica of an authorized recipient: 

  • In Tunica, there are two different words for they which are dependent upon the sex of the addressee.
    (Haas 1964)
Source: 

Glossary Hierarchy