Universal #186

Legacy number: 186

 Number  186
 Original  If there are declension classes (with different classes of nouns taking different exponents of case-number), then case and number are cumulated.
If case and number are not cumulated, there will be no declension classes (with all nouns taking the same exponents of case, except perhaps phonologically conditioned alternants).
 Standardized  IF there are declension classes (i.e., variance with respect to case and number), THEN case and number will be cumulated.

IF case and number are not cumulated (but expressed separately), then will be no declension classes.
 Formula  declension classes ⇒ cumulation (case & number);
separation (case & number) ⇒ ¬ declension classes
 Keywords  case, number, cumulation, declension class, noun
 Domain  inflection
 Type  implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  absolute
 Basis  unspecified
 Source  Skalicka 1951 [reprinted 1979]

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Discussion
Notes
For further discussion see: Plank, Frans (1991). Of abundance and scantiness in inflection: A typological prelude. In Frans Plank (ed.), Paradigms: The Economy of Inflection, 1-39. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. For a tabular summary of Skalicka's typological "constructs" see Plank 1998: 204-205.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
For further discussion see: Plank, Frans (1991). Of abundance and scantiness in inflection: A typological prelude. In Frans Plank (ed.), Paradigms: The Economy of Inflection, 1-39. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. For a tabular summary of Skalicka's typological "constructs" see Plank 1998: 204-205.