Universal #1166

Legacy number: 1166

 Number  1162
 Original  If the indefinite article determines plural nouns, then it is also used for singular nouns.
 Standardized  IF an overt indefinite article is used with plural nouns, THEN it is also used with singular nouns.
 Formula  indefinite article (plural nouns) ⇒ indefinite article (singular nouns)
 Keywords  indefinite article, number, plural, singular noun
 Domain  inflection, syntax
 Type  implication
 Status  achronic but presumably diachronically motivated
 Quality  absolute?
 Basis  sample of 31 languages
 Source  Heine 1997: 68

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Discussion
Notes
1. Cf. #1165.2. Singular nouns are statistically most likely to be associated with indefinite articles, plural nouns less so, and mass nouns are the least likely.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1. Cf. <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1165"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">

2. Singular nouns are statistically most likely to be associated with indefinite articles, plural nouns less so, and mass nouns are the least likely.