Universal #56

Legacy number: 56

 Number  56
 Original  With overwhelmingly more than chance frequency, languages with dominant order VSO have the adjective after the noun.
 Standardized  IF basic order is VSO, THEN, with overwhelmingly more than chance frequency, adjectives follow the noun.
 Formula  VSO ⇒ N Adj
 Keywords  order, VSO, adjective, noun
 Domain  syntax
 Type  implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  statistical
 Basis  30 languages of Greenberg 1963 sample
 Source  Greenberg 1963: 85, #17

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Discussion
Counterexamples
VSO & A N: Pápago-Pima (Tepiman, Uto-Aztecan)(Pickett 1983: 539) [but see Comment 2].Majang (Surmic, Nilo-Saharan); Gude (Biu-Mandara, Chadic, Afro-Asiatic); Chamorro, Central Agta, Ilocano, Western Bukidnon Manobo (all Philippine Austronesian); Quileute (Chimakuan); Kwakiutl (Wakashan); Squamish (Salish); Nisgha, Coast Tsimshian (both Tsimshianic); Northern Sahaptin (Sahaptian); Jakaltek (Mayan) (Dryer 2000).Northern and Southern Tepehuan, Huasteca Nahuatl (all Tepiman, Uto-Aztecan); Tlahuitoltepec Mixe (Mixe-Zoquean); Aguacatec, Ixil (both Mayan)(Yasugi 1995: Ch. 5).
Notes
1. Dryer 1988: 191, 1986: 98: “There is no evidence of any relationship between the order of Verb and Object and the order of Adjective and Noun.”2. Payne 1987 argues against classifying Papago as VSO. 3. Hengeveld, Rijkhoff, & Siewierska 1997 add a conjunct to the implicans, and claim that the refined universal is absolute (see #1030): Languages with dominant order VSO and parts-of-speech systems of types 1-3/4 always have the adjective after the noun.(For full reference about types of parts-of-speech systems see #248.)
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1. Dryer 1988: 191, Dryer 1986: 98: "There is no evidence of any relationship between the order of Verb and Object and the order of Adjective and Noun."

2. Payne 1987 argues against classifying Papago as VSO.

3. Hengeveld, Rijkhoff, & Siewierska 1997 add a conjunct to the implicans, and claim that the refined universal is absolute (see <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1030"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">): Languages with dominant order VSO and parts-of-speech systems of types 1-3/4 always have the adjective after the noun. (For full reference about types of parts-of-speech systems see <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=248"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">)