Variation of Mock Vague Deixis <i>Renjia</i> (“Someone”) in Chinese Weibo Posts

While there has been a growing body of research on vague language conveying unspecific meaning, there is a dearth of studies that specifically examine the use of vague and indefinite deixis referring to definite referents. This study investigates the variation of the Chinese vague deixis “renjia” in referring to definite targets, and explores the functions for an interlocutor to use this mock vague deixis instead of specific pronouns. Based on an analysis of 270 posts on Chinese Weibo, this study revealed that “renjia” referred not only to other people, but also to non-human entities and oneself. The findings showed that “renjia” performed a range of relational acts, with distinct preferences depending on the referent. The use of “renjia” adeptly modulates social proximity and interpersonal relationships by fostering solidarity while also establishing distance. This study contributes to the understanding of mock vague deixis on social media.