Universal #252

Legacy number: 252

 Number  252
 Original  All rigid languages for which the adjective class is irrelevant or a small and closed one do not allow the predicative use of nominal and possessive predicates. Those with a small and closed adjective class furthermore do not allow these adjectives to be used predicatively.
 Standardized  IF parts-of-speech classification is rigid and there is no class of adjectives, THEN nominal and possessive predicates can not be used predicatively.

IF parts-of-speech classification is rigid and there is a small and closed class of adjectives, THEN these adjectives and nominal and possessive predicates can not be used predicatively.
 Formula  rigid &¬adjectives ⇒ predicative use (nominalpredicate & possessive predicate);
rigid & small class of adjectives ⇒ predicative use (adjective &nominal & possessive predicate)
 Keywords  word class, rigid, adjective, predicate, nominal, possessive
 Domain  syntax
 Type  implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  absolute
 Basis  37 languages of Hengeveld’s sample
 Source  Hengeveld 1992: 135

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Discussion
Notes
Hengeveld 1992: 65: “... non-specialized parts-of-speech systems can be subclassified into two major groups: those in which a single part of speech may be used in different functions, and those in which for certain functions a part of speech is lacking. The former may be called flexible languages, the latter rigid languages.”
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
Hengeveld 1992: 65: "... non-specialized parts-of-speech systems can be subclassified into two major groups: those in which a single part of speech may be used in different functions, and those in which for certain functions a part of speech is lacking. The former may be called flexible languages, the latter rigid languages."