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Universal 420: verb agreement (inanimate constituent) ⇒ verb agreement (animate constituent)

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 420: verb agreement (inanimate constituent) ⇒ verb agreement (animate constituent)

Original
There is no language where, given a constituent class including both animate and inanimate members, the verb would agree with some or all of the inanimate members but with none of the animate ones.
Standardized
Provided there is a constituent class including both animate and inanimate members:
IF the verb agrees with some or all of its inanimate members, THEN the verb also agrees with its at least some of its animate members.
Keywords
verb agreement, animacy
Domain
inflection, syntax
Type
implication
Status
achronic
Quality
absolute
Basis
languages mentioned in Moravcsik 1978b
Source
Moravcsik 1978b: 365,
Counterexamples

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP
    1. May 2020

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