Universal 234: inflectional expansion: number inflection ⇒ case inflection ⇒ gender inflection
inflectional reduction: gender inflection ⇒ case inflection ⇒ number inflection

Universal 234: inflectional expansion: number inflection ⇒ case inflection ⇒ gender inflection
inflectional reduction: gender inflection ⇒ case inflection ⇒ number inflection

Original

In times of inflectional expansion, if there is number inflection, there is also case inflection; and if there is case inflection, there is also gender inflection.
In times of inflectional reduction, if there is gender inflection, there is also case inflection; and if there is gender inflection, there is also number inflection.

Standardized

In times of inflectional expansion, IF there is number inflection, THEN there is also case inflection; and IF there is case inflection, THEN there is also gender inflection.
In times of inflectional reduction, IF there is gender inflection, THEN there is also case inflection; and IF there is gender inflection, THEN there is also number inflection.

Keywords

number, case, gender

Domain

inflection

Type

implication

Status

diachronic (see Comments)

Quality

absolute

Basis

Ancient and Modern Greek (both Greek), French, Italian, Latin (all Italic), English, “Gothic” (both Germanic), Classical Armenian (Armenian), Hebrew (Semitic, Afro-Asiatic)

Source

Smith 1761 [1983], as interpreted in Plank 1992: 43

Counterexamples