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Universal 271: gender (verb (1 & 2)) ⇒ gender (verb (3))

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 271: gender (verb (1 & 2)) ⇒ gender (verb (3))

Original
If there exists a certain gender distinction in verb forms of the 1st and 2nd person, the same distinction also occurs in the verb forms of the 3rd person in that language.
Standardized
IF there is any gender distinction in verb forms of 1st and 2nd person, THEN this same distinction is made in forms of 3rd person.
Keywords
verb, gender, person, 1, 2, 3
Domain
inflection
Type
implication
Status
achronic
Quality
absolute?
Basis
unspecified
Source
Uspensky 1968: 14 [Uspensky 1972: 68]; see Vardul’ 1969, referring to Uspensky
Counterexamples
Late Egyptian (Afro-Asiatic): there is a facultative gender distinction in 1SG verb forms of the suffix conjugation (only in written language) but no gender distinction in the respective 3PL forms. (F. Kammerzell, p.c.)

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP

    An analogous statement cannot be made for number. Cf. the Baltic languages in which the distinction of number is neutralized in the 3rd person of the verb.

    1. May 2020

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