Universal #1370

Legacy number: 1370

 Number  1366
 Original  There is a universal principle that in numeral classifier languages classifier concatenates with a quantifier, locative, demonstrative, or predicate to form a nexus that cannot be interrupted by the noun which is classified.
 Standardized  There is a universal principle that in numeral classifier languages a classifier concatenates with a quantifier, locative, demonstrative, or predicate to form a nexus that cannot be interrupted by the noun which is classified.
 Keywords  classifier, numeral, order
 Domain  syntax
 Type  unconditional
 Status  achronic
 Quality  absolute
 Basis  sample of about 100 languages in Greenberg 1972;
more than 50 classifier languages from Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Oceania in Allan 1977
 Source  Greenberg 1972: 28, Allan 1977: 288

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Discussion
Notes
This principle entails that only the following sequences are permissible for the paradigm combination of quantifier, classifier and noun: Q C N (e. g. Amerind languages, Bengali, Chinese, Semitic languages, Vietnamese); N Q C (e. g. Burmese, Japanese, Thai); C Q N (e. g. Kiriwina (Oceanic)); N C Q (e. g. Louisiade Archipelago (Oceanic)).
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
This principle entails that only the following sequences are permissible for the paradigm combination of quantifier, classifier and noun:
Q C N (e. g. Amerind languages, Bengali, Chinese, Semitic languages, Vietnamese);
N Q C (e. g. Burmese, Japanese, Thai);
C Q N (e. g. Kiriwina (Oceanic));
N C Q (e. g. Louisiade Archipelago (Oceanic)).