Universal 1742:

Universal 1742:

Original

If a language has person marking affixes on verb (direct object), they are prefixed with more than chance frequency.

Standardized

When there are any person affixes on the verb marking direct object, these will be prefixed with more than chance frequency.

Keywords

person, direct object, verb, affix-order, prefix

Domain

inflection

Type

no genuine implication; rather: provided that

Status

achronic

Quality

statistical

Basis

200 languages drawn from three samples: a 125-language sample by L. Stassen, a 40-language sample by J. Bybee, and a 39-language sample by G. Gilligan

Source

Cutler, Hawkins, & Gilligan 1985: 730

Counterexamples

Bybee’s sample: 75% of languages confirm this generalization.