Universal #1761

Legacy number: 1761

 Number  1756
 Original  For all languages, if tense is marked on non-finite forms, then it is also marked on finite forms.
 Standardized  IF tense is marked on non-finite forms, THEN tense is also marked on finite forms.
 Keywords  verb, finite, non-finite, tense
 Domain  inflection
 Type  implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  statistical
 Basis  languages mentioned in Vincent 1998, with special reference to Old Neapolitan
 Source  Vincent 1998: 151

← Back to Universals Archive

Discussion
Notes
The four logical possibilities are:(i) tense is marked on both finite and non-finite forms, e.g. Latin.(ii) tense is only marked on finite forms, e.g. Italian, Danish.(iii) tense is not marked on any verbal form, finite or otherwise, e.g. Chinese.(iv) tense is marked on the non-finite forms but not on the finite ones - not attested.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
The four logical possibilities are:
(i) tense is marked on both finite and non-finite forms, e.g. Latin.
(ii) tense is only marked on finite forms, e.g. Italian, Danish.
(iii) tense is not marked on any verbal form, finite or otherwise, e.g. Chinese.
(iv) tense is marked on the non-finite forms but not on the finite ones - not attested.