Universal 1542: verb-initial ⇒ prefixal case-marking

Universal 1542: verb-initial ⇒ prefixal case-marking

Original

In verb-initial languages, where affixal case marking occurs, it is more likely to be prefixal than in verb-final languages, but suffixing is still fairly common.

Standardized

IF word order is verb-initial and there is affixal case marking, THEN prefixal case marking is more likely than in verb-final languages, but suffixing is still fairly common.

Keywords

order, verb-initial, case-marking, affix-order, prefix

Domain

inflection, syntax

Type

implication

Status

achronic

Quality

statistical

Basis

unknown

Source

unpublished statements of Keenan’s, reproduced in D.Payne 1990

Counterexamples