Universal 796: voiced obstruent ⇒ unvoiced obstruent

Original: The presence of a voiced obstruent in a given language is most likely to imply the presence of its voiceless cognate.
Standardized: IF there is a voiced obstruent, THEN most likely its voiceless counterpart is present as well.
Keywords: consonant, obstruent, voice
Domain: phonology
Type: implication
Status: achronic
Quality: statistical
Basis: 317 language sample from Nartey 1979
Source: Nartey 1979: 37

Counterexamples: Indo-European: Breton (Celtic), Norwegian (Germanic), Persian (Indo-Iranian); Amerind: Klamath (Klamath-Modoc), Tsimshian (Tsimshianic), Woodland Cree (Algonquian, Algic), Coast Wiyot (Ritwan, Algic);Kato, Mattole, Wailaki (all Athabaskan);Altaic: Mongolian (Mongolian), Turkish (Turkic);Papuan: Selepet, Gadsup (both Trans-New Guinea), Rotokas (E. Papuan);Australian: Muang (Yiwaidjan), Tiwi, Alawa (both Maran);Somali (Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic); Berta (E. Central Sudanic, Nilo-Saharan); Lak (East Caucasian), Tunica (isolate remotely related to Algonquian) (Nartey 1979: 37)

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