Universal #1648

Legacy number: 1648

 Number  1643
 Original  VSO languages with subordinating serial verb phrase constructions are not attested.
 Standardized  IF basic order is VSO, THEN there will be no subordinating serial verb phrase constructions.
 Formula  VSO ⇒ ¬ subordinating serial verb phrase structures
 Keywords  order, VSO, serial verb
 Domain  syntax
 Type  implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  statistical
 Basis  languages surveyed by Shiller 1990
 Source  Shiller 1990: 396

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Discussion
Notes
This is not surprising since such languages lack a verb phrase constituent necessary to the definition of subordinating serial verb phrase construction. Coordinating serial verb constructions are possible, however. (Shiller 1990: 396-397)
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
This is not surprising since such languages lack a verb phrase constituent necessary to the definition of subordinating serial verb phrase construction. Coordinating serial verb constructions are possible, however. (Shiller 1990: 396-397)