This study examines the semantics and pragmatics of co-verbal pointing from a foundational viewpoint, merging computer simulation, statistical inquiry, experiments and theoretical modeling techniques in a new way. It is argued that reference implicating pointing builds on a default inference which is detailed employing the empirical data. These findings evoke many problems for classical semantics–pragmatics interfaces: this study advocates pre-semantic pragmatics in order to explain inferential reference in addition to traditional post-semantic Gricean pragmatics.