Universal #916
Legacy number: 916
| Number | 913 |
| Original | The Animacy hierarchy: speaker (1st person pronouns) > addressee (2nd person pronouns) > kin > rational > human > animate > inanimate. If a plurality split occurs, it occurs in accord with the animacy hierarchy. |
| Standardized | IF a plurality split occurs, THEN all NPs to the left from it will have the distinction of plurality and those to the right from it will lack it. |
| Formula | speaker (1st person pronouns) > addressee (2nd person pronouns) > kin > rational > human > animate > inanimate |
| Keywords | hierarchy, animacy, split, number, plural |
| Domain | inflection |
| Type | implicational hierarchy |
| Status | achronic |
| Quality | statistical |
| Basis | languages in Smith-Stark 1974 |
| Source | Smith-Stark 1974: 665 |
Discussion
Counterexamples
English, where the distinction of plurality is neutralized in the 2nd person pronoun.Zuni (islolate) - where nouns referring to plants and animals do not distinguish plural, but human and non-living nouns do.Acooli (Nilo-Saharan) where there is class of nouns which can be pluralized, of which only a part seem in accord with this proposal.‘Minor numbers’ (paucal, dual, collective, general, mass) are not subject to the Animacy Hierarchy. See examples from Avar, Budux (both Caucasian), Italian, Spanish dialects (both Italic, Indo-European), Hebrew, Maltese (both Semitic, Afro-Asiatic), Fula (Niger-Congo) in Corbett 1996.
Notes
See also #117.
Comment
See also <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=117"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">
Log in to join the discussion.