There are languages like that---the distinction is referred to as "proximative" vs. "obviative". (Though strictly speaking, it differentiates between "more topi

There are languages like that---the distinction is referred to as "proximative" vs. "obviative". (Though strictly speaking, it differentiates between "more topical" and "less topical" third persons, which might not necessarily correspond with the order in which they're mentioned.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obviative https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obviative Apparently, there's even an Algonquian language which has a "further obviative" too, thus distinguishing three different levels of topicality.