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Universal 770: voiced primary fricative ⇒ unvoiced primary fricative
- Original
- The presence of a voiced primary fricative in a language is highly likely to imply the presence of its voiceless equivalent.
- Standardized
- IF there is a voiced primary fricative, THEN there is also the corresponding unvoiced primary fricative.
- Keywords
- fricative, voice
- Domain
- phonology
- Type
- implication
- Status
- achronic
- Quality
- statistical
- Basis
- 317 language sample from Nartey 1979
- Source
- Nartey 1979: 8, cited also in Lass 1984: 154
- Counterexamples
- Gadsup (Trans-New Guinea), Rotokas (East Papuan),Maung (Yiwaidjan, Australian), Tiwi (Tiwi, Australian) (Nartey 1979: 8)
Cf. Nartey’s less restrictive claim (#799): If there is a voiced obstruent, then most likely its voiceless cognate is present as well.