Universal #1557

Legacy number: 1557

 Number  1553
 Original  In verb-initial languages, if expressed by morphemically independent forms, modals, auxiliaries (if such exist), negative particles or words, desideratives and volitionals always precede the main verb, and may themselves have independent vebal morphology.
 Standardized  IF word order is verb-initial, THEN modals, auxiliaries (if such exist), negative particles or words, desideratives and volitionals, if expressed by separate words, always precede the main verb.
 Formula  verb-initial ⇒ Modal Verb, Aux Verb, Neg Verb, Desiderative Verb, Volition Verb
 Keywords  order, verb-initial, modal, auxiliary, negation, desiderative, volition
 Domain  syntax
 Type  implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  absolute
 Basis  unknown
 Source  unpublished statements of Keenan’s, reproduced in D.Payne 1990: 14

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Discussion
Notes
1.The strength of the order correlation is greater than its converse for verb-final languages. 2. Cf. Greenberg’s and Dryer’s claim for VSO-languages (#503): VSO => Aux V.and for VO-languages (#502): IF the order is VO, THEN, in expressions of volition and purpose, the main verb precedes the subordinate verb. 3. Cf. a correlation of Steele’s (#1386): No language with SVO or VSO basic order will have a clause final auxiliary (i.e. If basic word order is SVO or VSO, then auxiliary is clause medial or clause initial). 4. Cf. Dryer’s claim (#444): IF basic order is verb-initial, THEN the negative precedes the verb.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1.The strength of the order correlation is greater than its converse for verb-final languages.

2. Cf. Greenberg's and Dryer's claim for VSO-languages (<a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=503"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">): VSO ⇒ Aux V. and for VO-languages (<a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=502"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">): IF the order is VO, THEN, in expressions of volition and purpose, the main verb precedes the subordinate verb.

3. Cf. a correlation of Steele's (<a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1386"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">): No language with SVO or VSO basic order will have a clause final auxiliary (i.e. If basic word order is SVO or VSO, then auxiliary is clause medial or clause initial).

4. Cf. Dryer's claim (<a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=444"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">): IF basic order is verb-initial, THEN the negative precedes the verb.