Chapter 3 treats an ASL pronoun's directionality toward its physically present referent as a mental space mapping instruction. The resulting mapping connects an element of semantic space with an element of real space. More specifically, it connects the conceptual entity profiled in the pronoun's semantic pole with the entity in real space the pronoun is directed toward. Singular pronouns are directed toward single entities while plural pronouns are directed toward groups of entities.

The directionality of an indicating verb toward an element of real space serves the same function as the directionality of a pronoun toward an element of real space. It provides a mapping instruction between an element of the verb's semantic pole and an element of real space. In traditional terms, a pronoun's directionality leads to its referent or referents. Although the directionality of indicating verbs serves the same function, we do not normally talk about a verb's referents.

The semantic structure of verbs is considerably more variable than the semantic structure of pronouns. Verbs, for example, can be transitive or intransitive. A transitive verb typically involves one entity acting upon another. The directionality of some ASL verbs can indicate one of those entities while the directionality of others can indicate both. In addition, the semantic poles of some verbs contain locative or directional meanings while the semantic poles of others do not.