What is "reflexiveness"

Reflexive \Re*flex"ive\ (-?v), a.

1. [Cf. F. r['e]flexif.] Bending or turned backward; reflective; having respect to something past.

   Assurance reflexive can not be a divine faith.
   --Hammond.

2. Implying censure. [Obs.] ``What man does not resent an ugly reflexive word?''
   --South.

3. (Gram.) Having for its direct object a pronoun which refers to the agent or subject as its antecedent; -- said of certain verbs; as, the witness perjured himself; I bethought myself. Applied also to pronouns of this class; reciprocal; reflective. [1913 Webster] -- Re*flex"ive*ly, adv. -- Re*flex"ive*ness, n.

n. The state or quality of being reflexive.

n. the coreferential relation between a reflexive pronoun and its antecedent [syn: reflexivity]

Reflexiveness is one of Charles Hockett's 16 Design features of language which states that in a language the speaker can use his/her language to talk about language. Speakers of a language are able to have knowledge about their language and be able to reflect upon it.