Universal 1302: SOV ⇒ Definiteness affixes on N are suffixed
Original
If a language has SOV, definiteness affixes on noun (if any) are suffixed with greater than chance frequency.
Standardized
IF basic order is SOV, THEN definiteness affixes on nouns are suffixed with greater than chance frequency.
Keywords
order, SOV, noun, definite, affix-order, suffix
Domain
inflection, syntax
Type
implication
Status
achronic
Quality
statistical
Basis
200 languages drawn from three samples: a 113-language sample by L. Stassen, a 40-language sample by J. Bybee & R. Perkins, and a 50-language sample by G. Gilligan
1. Moravcsik 1994: 49 summarizes universals of Hawkins & Gilligan (here ##414, 1303, 1305, 1306, and 1308) in a more general form:If a language has SOV order, nominal affixes, if any, are suffixed with overwhelmingly greater than chance frequency.2. #892 states a general tendency of OV languages to have suffixes and VO languages to have prefixes.
1. Moravcsik 1994: 49 summarizes universals of Hawkins & Gilligan (here ##414, 1303, 1305, 1306, and 1308) in a more general form:If a language has SOV order, nominal affixes, if any, are suffixed with overwhelmingly greater than chance frequency.2. #892 states a general tendency of OV languages to have suffixes and VO languages to have prefixes.