Universal 1304: SOV ⇒ Plural affixes on N are suffixed

Universal 1304: SOV ⇒ Plural affixes on N are suffixed

Original

If a language has SOV, plural affixes on noun (if any) are suffixed with overwhelmingly greater than chance frequency.

Standardized

IF basic order is SOV, THEN plural affixes on nouns are suffixed with overwhelmingly greater than chance frequency.

Keywords

order, SOV, noun, number, plural, 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

Source

Cutler, Hawkins, & Gilligan 1985: 729; Hawkins & Gilligan 1988: 223

Counterexamples

Gilligan’s sample: 97% of SOV languages with plural affixes are suffixing, 3% are prefixing.