Universal #664

Legacy number: 664

 Number  661
 Original  There is a correlation between converb prominence and object-verb word order.
 Standardized  IF there is converb prominence, THEN there is OV order.
IF there is OV order, THEN there is converb prominence.
 Formula  converb prominence ⇔ OV
 Keywords  converb, order, ov, verb, object
 Domain  syntax
 Type  mutual implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  absolute
 Basis  languages surveyed in Greenberg, Masica, Koenig & van der Auwera
 Source  König & van der Auwera 1990: 352, referring to Greenberg 1963 and Masica 1976;

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Discussion
Notes
1. Converb is a non-finite verb form whose main function is to mark adverbial subordination. 2. Cf. Greenberg’s statement in #493, and its alternative formulation by Sanders in #1404. 3. Stassen (#1032) suggests correlations between the existence of converbs, OV order and other parameters. 4. Masica (1976: 139-140) carefully points out that the correlation between converb prominence and OV word order may be overriden by areal (and other) factors.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1. Converb is a non-finite verb form whose main function is to mark adverbial subordination.

2. Cf. Greenberg's statement in <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=493"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">, and its alternative formulation by Sanders in <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1404"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">.

3. Stassen (<a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1032"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">) suggests correlations between the existence of converbs, OV order and other parameters.

4. Masica (Masica 1976: 139-140) carefully points out that the correlation between converb prominence and OV word order may be overriden by areal (and other) factors.