Universal 1718: indefinite article co-occurs with nouns accompanied by possessors ⇒ definite article co-occurs with nouns accompanied by possessors

Universal 1718: indefinite article co-occurs with nouns accompanied by possessors ⇒ definite article co-occurs with nouns accompanied by possessors

Original

If indefinite articles co-occur with possessives, then definite articles do so, too.

Standardized

IF indefinite articles co-occur with possessives, THEN definite articles do so, too.

Keywords

article, definiteness, possession

Domain

syntax

Type

implication

Status

achronic

Quality

absolute?

Basis

languages mentioned in Plank 1991a, including English, Welsh, Modern and Old French, German, Modern and Old Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Rumanian, Classical Greek (all IE)

Source

Plank 1991a(2): 7, cited in Moravcsik 1994b

Counterexamples