Universal #526

Legacy number: 526

 Number  524
 Original  In more than one language, and possibly in all, if the adnominal demonstrative co-occurs with a definite article that is in construction with the noun, the demonstrative is ordered more peripherally than the definite article.
 Standardized  IF the adnominal demonstrative and the definite article occur on the same side of the head noun, THEN the demonstrative is consistently more peripheral than the article.
 Keywords  adnominal demonstrative, definite article, noun, order
 Domain  syntax
 Type  no genuine implication; rather: provided that
 Status  achronic
 Quality  statistical, almost absolute
 Basis  sample of 48 languages in Rijkhoff 1992, languages surveyed by Moravcsik 1997
 Source  Rijkhoff 1992: 152, also Moravcsik 1994b, Moravcsik 1997: 318

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Discussion
Notes
1. Moravcsik 1997: 318: “Evidence provided by Dryer, p.c., and in Greenberg 1963: #20, Hawkins 1983: 117-120, and Rijkhoff 1990 shows that there is a tendency to keep the demonstrative in peripheral position.” 2. The peripheral of the adnominal demonstrative would be explained if the demonstrative were analyzed as a separate noun phrase to which the rest of the phrase – the article and the noun – is appended in appositive-like fashion (cf. Rijkhoff 1992: 153).
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1. Moravcsik 1997: 318: "Evidence provided by Dryer, p.c., and in Greenberg 1963: #20, Hawkins 1983: 117-120, and Rijkhoff 1990 shows that there is a tendency to keep the demonstrative in peripheral position."

2. The peripheral of the adnominal demonstrative would be explained if the demonstrative were analyzed as a separate noun phrase to which the rest of the phrase – the article and the noun – is appended in appositive-like fashion (cf. Rijkhoff 1992: 153).