Skip to content

Universal 603:

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 603:

Original
If in a language the definiteness of a class of noun phrases is an order-significant property, this class will include both objects and intransitive subjects, but not transitive subjects.
Standardized
IF definite objects are differently ordered from indefinite ones, THEN also definite intransitive subjects will be differently ordered from indefinite ones.
IF definite intransitive subjects are differently ordered from indefinite ones, THEN also definite objects will be differently ordered from indefinite ones.
Keywords
definiteness, NP, order, object, transitive subject, intransitive subject
Domain
syntax
Type
implication
Status
achronic
Quality
absolute
Basis
languages mentioned in Moravcsik 1978d
Source
Moravcsik 1978d: 266
Counterexamples

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP

    The statement predicts that there is no language where definite transitive subjects are differently ordered from indefinte ones (Moravcsik 1978d: 266).

    1. May 2020

Comments are closed.