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Universal 1493:

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 1493:

Original
Incorporated nouns attach to the left of the verb stem in not-verb-initial languages.
Standardized
IF basic word order is not-verb-initial (i.e. verb-medial or verb-final), THEN nouns attach to the left of the verb stem when incorporated.
Keywords
incorporation, order, verb-medial, verb-final
Domain
morphology, syntax
Type
implication
Status
achronic
Quality
absolute
Basis
languages with object-incorporation, including Chukchi (Chukchi-Kamchatkan), Yana (Hokan), Kitonemuk (Uto-Aztecan), Gunbalang (Gunwingguan, Australian), Onondaga (Iroquoian), Aztec (Uto-Aztecan), Tongan, Fijian (both Oceanic, Eastern Malayo-Polynesian), Malagasy (Barito, Western Malayo-Polynesian), Turkish (Altaic), and others
Source
Mardirussian 1975: 386
Counterexamples
Possible exception: Sora: (Munda), which is not verb-initial and the noun attaches to the right (Mardirussian 1975: 386).

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP
    1. May 2020

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