Universal 795: X voiced obstruents ⇒ ≥X voiceless obstruents

Universal 795: X voiced obstruents ⇒ ≥X voiceless obstruents

Original

There is a very highly significant tendency for languages to have more voiceless obstruents than voiced ones.

Standardized

There are more voiceless obstruents than voiced ones.

Keywords

consonant, obstruent, voice

Domain

phonology

Type

implication

Status

achronic

Quality

statistical

Basis

317 language sample from Nartey 1979

Source

Nartey 1979: 37, cited also in Lass 1984: 155

Counterexamples