DEM. M-2:M must people all IRR-3-eat-PL. The same applies, naturally, to recognitional usages: 14 tšə́ ṭṭət, tó-k wən t-ʕə́ ṃṃaṛ tə-ṣṣáy-a əlʕárjun n téni. rachis DEM.F-2:M REL 3F-be.IPFV 3F-hold-PRF cluster GEN date The rachis is that thing that holds the date clusters (in place). (referring to palm trees; no palm tree was visible or previously mentioned) Conversely, items new to the discourse – notably including the topics of questions – are usually marked with the proximal demonstrative: 15 hánta wa i-tə́ ṃṃa-n-as? what? DEM.M 3-say.IPFV-PL-3SG.DAT? What do they call this/that? 16 táya tšə́ ṭṭət. DEM.F rachis 17 hánta wáya wən ənníj g əssmá? what? DEM.M REL up in sky What is that up there in the sky? and considerations of accessibility: 18a hánta wáya wən what? DEM.M REL ẓṛá-tt see-2SG>3M.ACC slə́ ṭṭin? yesterday? What was that (thing) you saw yesterday? b wó-k DEM.M-2:M wən REL ẓṛə́ -x-t see-1SG-3M.ACC slə́ ṭṭin yesterday izə́ m gazelle That (thing) I saw yesterday was a gazelle. The proximal terms have an additional function of expressing contrastive alternatives: “one... the other...” is wa... wa... This overrides spatial functions of the proximal-medial distinction, as in the following scenario: A and B are sitting in a room with four books on the desk, two of them green. A tells B to go get the green book. B goes and puts his hand on one of them, and says: wá? / wáya? [This one?] A replies:
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Sources: Siwi Addressee Agreement, Siwi Addressee Agreement, Siwi Addressee Agreement