Universal #63
Legacy number: 63
| Number | 63 |
| Original | When the adjective follows the noun, the adjective expresses all the inflectional categories of the noun. In such cases the noun may lack overt expression of one or all of these categories. |
| Standardized | IF the adjective follows the noun, THEN the adjective expresses all the inflectional categories of the noun, while the noun itself may lack overt expression of one or all of these categories. |
| Keywords | order, adjective, noun, inflection |
| Domain | inflection, syntax |
| Type | no genuine implication; rather: provided that |
| Status | achronic |
| Quality | absolute? |
| Basis | 30 languages of Greenberg 1963 sample |
| Source | Greenberg 1963: 95, #40 |
Discussion
Counterexamples
Kurdish (Iranian, IE) (Russian translation of Greenberg 1963).Old Egyptian (Afro-Asiatic): Adnominal adjectives follow the noun, but do not express necessarily all the inflectional categories of the noun; e.g. jX-t nb Dw thing-FEM every evil ‘every evil thing’; jX-t nb nfr-t thing-FEM every good-FEM (F. Kammerzell, p.c.)German (Germanic, IE): Some adjectives can appear before or after the noun:mein-es selig-en Mann-es my-GEN.SG.MASC late-GEN.SG.MASC husband-GEN.SG.MASCmein-es Mann-es selig my-GEN.SG.MASC husband-GEN.SG.MASC late
Notes
See #26. The present universal, however, is probably intended to be more generally applicable, covering also languages where adjectives ONLY occur postnominally. #26 is about languages where adjectives may occur pre- AS WELL AS post-nominally.
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The present universal, however, is probably intended to be more generally applicable, covering also languages where adjectives ONLY occur postnominally. <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=26"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0"> is about languages where adjectives may occur pre- AS WELL AS post-nominally.