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Universal 85:

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 85:

Original
The non-null set of agreeing non-subjects of any language includes some or all direct objects; or in other words, if in a language the verb agrees with anything other than subjects, it agrees with some or all direct objects.
Standardized
IF the verb agrees with anything other than subjects, THEN it agrees with some or all direct objects.
Keywords
verb, agreement, subject, direct object
Domain
inflection, syntax
Type
implication
Status
achronic
Quality
absolute?
Basis
languages in Moravcsik 1974
Source
Moravcsik 1974: 28
Counterexamples

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP

    1. Is this the claim?IF the verb agrees with some or all direct objects, THEN it agrees with subjects.Rather:IF the verb agrees with non-direct objects, THEN it agrees with some or all direct objects.That is, there is a relational hierarchy for verb agreement:Sbj > dObj > other2. Cf. #294; also ## 86, 45.

    1. May 2020

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