Universal #1944

Legacy number: 1944

 Number  1938
 Original  I know of no language which has one verb stem to indicate giving to the 1st or 3rd person and a suppletive stem with the meaning of giving to the 2nd person.
 Standardized  When there are suppletive stems for a verb 'to give' determined by the person of the recipient, the opposition will always be 1st vs. 2nd&3rd person or 1st&2nd vs. 3rd person, never 1st&3rd vs. 2nd person.
 Keywords  suppletion, verb, recipient, person, 1, 2, 3
 Domain  inflection
 Type  unconditional
 Status  achronic
 Quality  absolute
 Basis  unspecified
 Source  Greenberg 1993: 12

← Back to Universals Archive

Discussion
Notes
1. Cf. #1951.2. Stem suppletion of the verb 'give' determined by the person of the recipient, though once believed rare, along with any verbal suppletion by person, is shown in Comrie 2001 to be rather widespread. Most common appears to be suppletion by 1st and 2nd vs. 3rd person; less common by 1st vs. 2nd and 3rd person.UNIVERSAL:What Comrie did not find attested is suppletion of 'give' by 2nd vs. 1st and 3rd person of the recipient.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1. Cf. <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1951"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">

2. Stem suppletion of the verb 'give' determined by the person of the recipient, though once believed rare, along with any verbal suppletion by person, is shown in Comrie 2001 to be rather widespread. Most common appears to be suppletion by 1st and 2nd vs. 3rd person; less common by 1st vs. 2nd and 3rd person.
UNIVERSAL:
What Comrie did not find attested is suppletion of 'give' by 2nd vs. 1st and 3rd person of the recipient.