Universal #772

Legacy number: 772

 Number  769
 Original  In a given language the number of voiceless primary fricatives is highly likely to be greater than the number of voiced ones.
 Standardized  The number of voiceless primary fricatives is highly likely to be greater than the number of voiced ones.
 Keywords  fricative, voice
 Domain  phonology
 Type  implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  statistical
 Basis  317 language sample from Nartey 1979
 Source  Nartey 1979: 8, cited also in Lass 1984: 154

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Discussion
Counterexamples
Igbo (Benue-Congo, Niger-Congo), Kpelle, Tura (both Mande, Niger-Congo);Mazahua, Mazatec, Mixtec (all Oto-Manguean);Angas, Margi (both Chadic, Afro-Asiatic);Evenki (Tungus, Altaic), Turkish (Turkic, Altaic);Saek (Daic, Austroasiatic), Vietnamese (Mon-Khmer, Austroasiatic); Georgian (S. Caucasian);Kunjen (Pama-Nyungan); Cheremis (Volgaic, Uralic);Chukchi (Chuckhi-Kamchatkan); Aleut (Eskimo-Aleut) (Nartey 1979: 8);Huajuapan Mixtec, Coatzospan Mixtec, Cuitlatec (all Oto-Manguean) (Yasugi 1995: 68)
Notes
Primary fricatives are those speech sounds produced by the narrowing of two articulators so as to produce a turbulent air stream. (This excludes [h]). (Nartey 1979: 3).
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
Primary fricatives are those speech sounds produced by the narrowing of two articulators so as to produce a turbulent air stream. (This excludes [h]). (Nartey 1979: 3).