Universal #2011

Legacy number: 2011

 Number  2005
 Original  The type of gender resolution system found is constrained by the [gender] assignment system of the language. Languages with strict semantic assignment systems [...] have semantic resolution systems, as do those with predominantly semantic systems [...]. Languages with formal assignment systems may have semantic resolution [...], syntactic (=formal) resolution [...], or mixed resolution [...]. Informally speaking, gender resolution may be "more semantic" but not "less semantic" than gender assignment.
 Standardized  The type of gender resolution system found is constrained by the [gender] assignment system of the language. Languages with strict semantic assignment systems [...] have semantic resolution systems, as do those with predominantly semantic systems [...]. Languages with formal assignment systems may have semantic resolution [...], syntactic (=formal) resolution [...], or mixed resolution [...]. Informally speaking, gender resolution may be "more semantic" but not "less semantic" than gender assignment.
 Keywords  agreement, coordination, resolution rules, gender
 Domain  inflection, syntax, semantics
 Type  implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  absolute?
 Basis  "over 200 languages" from all over the place
 Source  Corbett 1991: 306

← Back to Universals Archive

Discussion

No discussion yet.