Universal #1416

Legacy number: 1416

 Number  1412
 Original  All languages have constructions whose primary function is to place new or contrastive topics at the beginning of the sentence.
 Standardized  All languages have constructions whose primary function is to place new or contrastive topics at the beginning of the sentence.
 Keywords  topic, comment, order
 Domain  syntax
 Type  unconditional
 Status  achronic
 Quality  absolute
 Basis  a sample of 30 languages, see Gundel 1988: 210;
100 languages of Mallinson & Blake 1981 sample- see Mallinson & Blake 1981: 134-144
 Source  Mallinson & Blake 1981: 151, Gundel 1988: 231

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Discussion
Notes
1. Mallinson & Blake: More topical material tends to come nearer to the beginning of the clause (to the left) than non-topical material. 2. Cf. ##382, 1417, 1418.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1. Mallinson & Blake: More topical material tends to come nearer to the beginning of the clause (to the left) than non-topical material.

2. Cf. <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=382"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">, <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1417"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">, <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1418"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">.