Used to point to a specific person, thing, or idea that is close in space, time, or thought. It often introduces something you are focusing on right now.
From Old English 'þis' meaning 'this,' a demonstrative pronoun. It’s related to Old High German 'dise' and Gothic 'þata' (that), showing an old system of pointing words in Germanic languages. The 'th' sound in 'this' was written with a special letter (þ, thorn) in early English.
Words like 'this' are tiny but powerful—they control what your listener pays attention to. When you say 'this problem,' you instantly pull it into the mental spotlight. Grammar uses these short, almost invisible words to steer the whole conversation.
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