Universal 1987:

Universal 1987:

Original

In an SOV language with Ex and Cop lexically separate, the Ex tends to be used as an auxiliary combining with the conjunctive to form ‘present state’ tenses of perfect or present continuous value; as such it tends to change from an independent following auxiliary to a tense-forming suffix.

Standardized

In an SOV language with the lexical items for existential and copulative function separate, the Ex tends to be used as an auxiliary combining with the conjunctive to form ‘present state’ tenses of perfect or present continuous value; as such it tends to change from an independent following auxiliary to a tense-forming suffix.

Keywords

order, SOV, verb, existence, copula, auxiliary, conjunctive, tense, aspect, present, perfect, continuous, suffix

Domain

inflection, syntax

Type

unconditional

Status

achronic, diachronic

Quality

statistical

Basis

Bengali, Amharic, and impressions from other lgs, including other Afroasiatic, German, English, Spanish, Hungarian, Japanese, Twi

Source

Ferguson 1972: 112

Counterexamples