The article explores how words like "this" and "that" are used in English to communicate. It shows that these words are not just about proximity to the speaker, but also about the context and goals of communication. The study uses a new approach called Metaoperational Grammar to reveal the deeper mechanisms behind these words. It finds that the traditional idea of proximity doesn't fully explain how "this" and "that" are used in real conversations. Instead, these words play a crucial role in how we understand meaning and how we communicate effectively.