Universal #1993

Legacy number: 1993

 Number  1987
 Original  In an SOV language with Ex and Cop lexically separate, the Ex tends to be used as an auxiliary combining with the conjunctive to form 'present state' tenses of perfect or present continuous value; as such it tends to change from an independent following auxiliary to a tense-forming suffix.
 Standardized  In an SOV language with the lexical items for existential and copulative function separate, the Ex tends to be used as an auxiliary combining with the conjunctive to form 'present state' tenses of perfect or present continuous value; as such it tends to change from an independent following auxiliary to a tense-forming suffix.
 Keywords  order, SOV, verb, existence, copula, auxiliary, conjunctive, tense, aspect, present, perfect, continuous, suffix
 Domain  inflection, syntax
 Type  unconditional
 Status  achronic, diachronic
 Quality  statistical
 Basis  Bengali, Amharic, and impressions from other lgs, including other Afroasiatic, German, English, Spanish, Hungarian, Japanese, Twi
 Source  Ferguson 1972: 112

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