Universal 56: VSO ⇒ N Adj

Original: With overwhelmingly more than chance frequency, languages with dominant order VSO have the adjective after the noun.
Standardized: IF basic order is VSO, THEN, with overwhelmingly more than chance frequency, adjectives follow the noun.
Keywords: order, VSO, adjective, noun
Domain: syntax
Type: implication
Status: achronic
Quality: statistical
Basis: 30 languages of Greenberg 1963 sample
Source: Greenberg 1963: 85, #17

Counterexamples: VSO & A N: Pápago-Pima (Tepiman, Uto-Aztecan)(Pickett 1983: 539) [but see Comment 2].Majang (Surmic, Nilo-Saharan); Gude (Biu-Mandara, Chadic, Afro-Asiatic); Chamorro, Central Agta, Ilocano, Western Bukidnon Manobo (all Philippine Austronesian); Quileute (Chimakuan); Kwakiutl (Wakashan); Squamish (Salish); Nisgha, Coast Tsimshian (both Tsimshianic); Northern Sahaptin (Sahaptian); Jakaltek (Mayan) (Dryer 2000).Northern and Southern Tepehuan, Huasteca Nahuatl (all Tepiman, Uto-Aztecan); Tlahuitoltepec Mixe (Mixe-Zoquean); Aguacatec, Ixil (both Mayan)(Yasugi 1995: Ch. 5).

Search Universals Archive

One Comment

FP

1. Dryer 1988: 191, 1986: 98: “There is no evidence of any relationship between the order of Verb and Object and the order of Adjective and Noun.”2. Payne 1987 argues against classifying Papago as VSO. 3. Hengeveld, Rijkhoff, & Siewierska 1997 add a conjunct to the implicans, and claim that the refined universal is absolute (see #1030): Languages with dominant order VSO and parts-of-speech systems of types 1-3/4 always have the adjective after the noun.(For full reference about types of parts-of-speech systems see #248.)

1. May 2020

Comments are closed.