Universal #7
Legacy number: 7
| Number | 7 |
| Original | Where morphemes of both number and case are present and both follow or both precede the noun base, the expression of number almost always comes between the noun base and the expression of case. |
| Standardized | IF morphemes of both number and case are present and both follow or both precede the noun base, THEN the exponent of number almost always comes between the noun base and the exponent of case. |
| Keywords | affix-order, case, number |
| Domain | inflection |
| Type | no genuine implication; rather: provided that |
| Status | achronic |
| Quality | statistical, almost absolute |
| Basis | 30 languages of Greenberg 1963 sample |
| Source | Greenberg 1963: 95, #39 |
Discussion
Counterexamples
Proto-Indo-European, as commonly reconstructed, allegedly not cumulating case and number at least in the accusative (where PL -n is underlyingly /m/):-NOM (SG) -s, -Ø; -NOM.PL -es-ACC (SG) -m; -ACC-PL -n-s
Notes
1. This is what is being claimed:Number tends to be closer to the stem than case.This can presumably be restated as a genuine implication in terms of position classes:If case is expressed in position class n, then number will not be expressed in position class n+1; and mutatis mutandis for prenominal positions.2. Concerning achronic status: Assuming that the ordering of affixes reflects their grammaticalization history (rather than being determined by “relevance” or “scope”, operative specifically at the word level), the regularity would be diachronic. That is, Number will always be grammaticalized before Case, hence bound Number exponents will always end up closer to the stem and bound Case exponents will always be more marginal.
Log in to join the discussion.
Number tends to be closer to the stem than case. This can presumably be restated as a genuine implication in terms of position classes: If case is expressed in position class n, then number will not be expressed in position class n+1; and mutatis mutandis for prenominal positions.
2. Concerning achronic status:
Assuming that the ordering of affixes reflects their grammaticalization history (rather than being determined by "relevance" or "scope", operative specifically at the word level), the regularity would be diachronic. That is, Number will always be grammaticalized before Case, hence bound Number exponents will always end up closer to the stem and bound Case exponents will always be more marginal.