Universal #1699

Legacy number: 1699

 Number  1694
 Original  There appears to be a differentiation hierarchy in interrogative word inventories with related implicational universals corresponding to the following distribution: most languages have interrogative pro-nouns, many have interrogative pro-adverbs, fewer have interrogative pro-adjectives (Polish ‘jaki’, Yiddish ‘voser’), few have interrogative pro-numerals (Latin ‘quot’, ‘quotus’) and only a small number have interrogative pro-verbs (Southern Paiute, Western Desert, Mandarin, Yana, Avar).
 Standardized  IF there is an interrogative pro-verb, THEN there is an interrogative pro-numeral.
IF there is an interrogative pro-numeral, THEN there is an interrogative pro-adjective.
IF there is an interrogative pro-adjective, THEN there is an interrogative pro-adverb.
IF there is an interrogative pro-adverb, THEN there is an interrogative pro-noun.
 Formula  interrogative pronouns > interrogative pro-adverbs > interrogative pro-adjectives > interrogative pro-numerals > interrogative pro-verbs
 Keywords  interrogative word
 Domain  lexicon
 Type  implicational hierarchy
 Status  achronic
 Quality  statistical
 Basis  European languages (with some non-European background)
 Source  Zaefferer 1990: 227

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Discussion
Notes
1. One could imagine the existence of interrogative pro-adpositions, but according to Katz & Postal (1964: 152, note 29) they cannot exist, whereas Weinreich (1963: 122) thinks this is an open question. (Zaefferer 1990: 227)2. See Raritätenkabinett #120 for lgs with interrogative pro verbs.3. See a LINGTYP discussion (ca. 2001), initated and summarized by F. Plank, on interrogative pro-ordinal numerals, like 'the how manieth?'.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1. One could imagine the existence of interrogative pro-adpositions, but according to Katz & Postal 1964: 152, note 29, they cannot exist, whereas Weinreich 1963: 122: thinks this is an open question. (Zaefferer 1990: 227)

2. See Raritätenkabinett <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=120"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0"> for lgs with interrogative pro verbs.

3. See a LINGTYP discussion (ca. 2001), initated and summarized by F. Plank, on interrogative pro-ordinal numerals, like 'the how manieth?'.