Universal #1688

Legacy number: 1688

 Number  1683
 Original  There are no languages in which deranking under non-identity of subjects is possible while at the same time deranking under identity of subjects is forbidden.
 Standardized  IF there is absolute deranking, THEN there is conditional deranking.
 Formula  absolute deranking ⇒ conditional deranking
 Keywords  deranking
 Domain  syntax
 Type  implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  statistical
 Basis  sample of 110 languages
 Source  Stassen 1985: 85ff.

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Discussion
Notes
1. Languages which can derank consecutive predicates only in cases where the two predicates in the C-chain have identical subjects are called languages with CONDITIONAL (consecutive) deranking. Languages in which the deranking procedure does not obtain a structural condition on subject-identity and where a deranked predicate can have its own overt subject are called ABSOLUTE deranking languages. 2. Most European languages also seem to confirm this prediction in quantitative terms: If a language has both different-subject marking (DS) and same-subject marking (SS) constructions and one of these two patterns is somewhat marginal, it is usually the DS pattern that plays a marginal role. (König & van der Auwera 1990: 340)
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1. Languages which can derank consecutive predicates only in cases where the two predicates in the C-chain have identical subjects are called languages with CONDITIONAL (consecutive) deranking. Languages in which the deranking procedure does not obtain a structural condition on subject-identity and where a deranked predicate can have its own overt subject are called ABSOLUTE deranking languages.

2. Most European languages also seem to confirm this prediction in quantitative terms: If a language has both different-subject marking (DS) and same-subject marking (SS) constructions and one of these two patterns is somewhat marginal, it is usually the DS pattern that plays a marginal role. (König & van der Auwera 1990: 340)