Time and shared knowledge in the demonstrative system of Ayt Atta Tamazight (Berber)

A partial reconstruction of Berber (Amazigh) deictics

“…In a groundbreaking study of the semantics and pragmatics of deixis in Kabyle [al], Amina Mettouchi (2011) has shown that their use is less about describing space in reality, but rather about interpersonal construction of reference. As a result, the boundary between endophoric and exophoric deixis is much more permeable than suggested by the common analysis (see also Mauri 2020). It is very well possible (and even probable) that the systems in other Berber varieties are as complex and 3.…”

“…-a (2015) on Siwa [EG] and Mauri (2020) on Ayt Atta [MA] (south-eastern Morocco). Kossmann (2015) on Figuig [MA-Z] is entirely based on narrative texts, and therefore only provides a partial picture.…”

“…Berber varieties 1 (also known as Amazigh) show an enormous variation in deictic systems and forms (Destaing 1922;Naumann 2001). Some only have two distinct forms, while others have up to seven distinctions, among others differentiating between spatial and temporal deixis (Mauri 2020).…”