Universal #68

Legacy number: 68

 Number  68
 Original  If a language has verb-first order, then if the adjective follows the noun, the genitive follows the noun.
 Standardized  IF basic order is verb-initial, THEN IF the adjective follows the noun, THEN the genitive follows the noun.
 Formula  #V ⇒ (N A ⇒ N G)
 Keywords  order, verb-initial, noun, adjective, attributive, genitive
 Domain  syntax
 Type  nested implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  statistical (according to author absolute)
 Basis  sample of 350 languages in Hawkins 1983
 Source  Hawkins 1983: 66

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Discussion
Counterexamples
1. VSO & NA & GN: Yagua (Peba-Yaguan) (Payne 1985, 1986, Dryer 1991, 2000).Guajajara (Tupi); Kilivila (Oceanic, Austronesian), Garawa (Garawan, Australian) (Harrison 1983, 1986: 415, Payne 1985, Dryer 1991, 2000).2. #V & NA & GN: Wolio (W. Malayo-Polynesian, Austronesian) (Dryer 1991, 1997).
Notes
1. Cf. #67. 2. Dryer 1988: 200: “There is no clear evidence for the correlation between Genitive-Noun and Adjective-Noun order.”3. Since the 1990s, Hawkins proposes alternative explanations of his universals (see e.g. Hawkins 1993: 234).
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1. Cf. <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=67"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">

2. Dryer 1988: 200: "There is no clear evidence for the correlation between Genitive-Noun and Adjective-Noun order."

3. Since the 1990s, Hawkins proposes alternative explanations of his universals (see e.g. Hawkins 1993: 234).