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Universal 1426: OV ⇒ Subordinate-Main;
VO ⇒ Subordinate-Main & Main-Subordinate; OV/VO ⇒ Subordinate-Main & Main-Subordinate

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 1426: OV ⇒ Subordinate-Main;
VO ⇒ Subordinate-Main & Main-Subordinate; OV/VO ⇒ Subordinate-Main & Main-Subordinate

Original
In the majority of OV languages, adverbial clause always precede the main clause, unless they are extraposed for specific pragmatic reasons.
In (almost) all VO and OV/VO languages, adverbial clauses may precede or follow the associated main clause.
Standardized
If the word order is OV, THEN adverbial clause always precede the main clause.
If the word order is VO or OV/VO, THEN adverbial clause may precede or follow the main clause.
Keywords
order, OV, VO, clause, main, subordinate
Domain
syntax
Type
implication
Status
achronic
Quality
statistical
Basis
sample of 42 languages in Diessel 1999
Source
Diessel 1999
Counterexamples
Georgian (South Caucasian), Supyire (Gur, Niger-Congo), Persian, Punjabi (both Indo-Iranian): In these OV languages, adverbial clauses may precede or follow the associated main clause.For the second part: Cantonese (Sinitic, Sino-Tibetan).

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP
    1. May 2020

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