Universal #1271

Legacy number: 1271

 Number  1267
 Original  Ergative systems are found only in SOV and VSO languages. SVO languages are never ergative.
 Standardized  IF basic order is SVO, THEN alignment is not ergative;
IF alignment is ergative, THEN basic order is not SVO.
 Formula  SVO ⇒ ¬ ergative; ergative ⇒ ¬ SVO
 Keywords  order, ergative language
 Domain  inflection, syntax
 Type  implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  absolute
 Basis  languages mentioned in Schwartz 1972 and Trask 1979
 Source  Schwartz 1972: 32, Trask 1979: 385

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Discussion
Counterexamples
Georgian (South Caucasian) is SVO and ergative. [Is it?]
Notes
1. Cf. Trask’s (1979: 385) formulation: Ergative languages nearly always have the basic word order SOV, occasionally VSO, but virtually never SVO.2. See also #1376.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1. Cf. Trask's 1979: 385: formulation: Ergative languages nearly always have the basic word order SOV, occasionally VSO, but virtually never SVO.

2. See also <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1376"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">