Mirativity and the near deixis copula dule in Neo-Aramaic

• Analysis of the near deixis copula as a mirativity marker in Neo-Aramaic is carried out.
• The gradual semantic shift from a deictic/presentative function to mirative is demonstrated.
• Separate cognitive tiers for mirativity and evidentials are suggested.
• The separation is based on distribution of respective markers.
• The existing framework of mirative sources and expressions is reorganised.

This paper presents a possible mirative reading of the constructions with the near deictic copula and its cognates in a group of Neo-Aramaic dialects from north-eastern Iraq. It is here argued that providing a diachronic perspective on the markers of mirativity supports the stand which regards mirativity as separate from evidentiality. However, even when mirativity is considered a modal category on the morphosyntactic and semantic level, on the level of communication, it shares similar functions with evidentiality, especially when perfect and deictic/presentative markers are concerned. The analysis results in expanding the existing framework of mirativity to include, next to its well-recognised sources such as the resultative, also the deictic and presentative forms.