Universal #1111

Legacy number: 1111

 Number  1107
 Original  If a language has a Topic Possessive, that language will have backgrounding of simultaneous sequences.
 Standardized  IF there is a Topic Possessive, THEN there is backgrounding of simultaneous sequences.
 Formula  topic possessive ⇒ backgrounding of simultaneous sequences
 Keywords  possessive, backgrounding
 Domain  syntax
 Type  implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  absolute
 Basis  sample of 300 languages
 Source  Stassen 1998

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Discussion
Notes
The Topic Possessive. Features:(a) the main verb is the locative/existential item 'to be';(b) the possessed item is the grammatical subject;(c) the possessor is constructed outside the sentence nucleus, as a sentential topic, and may or may not be marked as such.Evaluation: confirmed for all 55 cases of Topic Possessive.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
The Topic Possessive. Features:
(a) the main verb is the locative/existential item 'to be';
(b) the possessed item is the grammatical subject;
(c) the possessor is constructed outside the sentence nucleus, as a sentential topic, and may or may not be marked as such.

Evaluation: confirmed for all 55 cases of Topic Possessive.