Universal #1635

Legacy number: 1635

 Number  1630
 Original  All polysynthetic languages will lack overt NP anaphors, at least as objects.
 Standardized  IF there is polysynthesis, THEN there will be no NP reflexive.
 Formula  polysynthesis ⇒ ¬ NP reflexive
 Keywords  polysynthesis, anaphor, pronoun, reflexive
 Domain  morphology, syntax
 Type  implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  statistical
 Basis  Polysynthetic languages like Mohawk (Iroquoian), Nahuatl (Uto-Aztecan), Kiowa (Kiowa- Tanoan), Gunwinjguan (Gunwingguan, Australian), Wichita (Caddoan), Chukchi (Chukchi-Kamchatkan), Ainu (isolate). Non-polysynthetic languages like Greenlandic (Eskimo-Aleut), Lakhota (Siouan), Slave (Athabaskan), Alamblak (Sepik-Ramu), Chichewa (Bantoid, Niger-Congo), Choctaw (Muskogean)
 Source  Baker 1996: 50

← Back to Universals Archive

Discussion
Counterexamples
Chukchi (Chukchi-Kamchatkan) has NP reflexive, but it is barred from appearing in argument position (Baker 1996: 51ff.)