Universal #988

Legacy number: 988

 Number  984
 Original  Languages with a separative comparative are languages with absolute anterior consecutive deranking and total identity deletion.
 Standardized  IF there is separative comparative, THEN there is absolute anterior consecutive deranking and total identity deletion.
 Formula  separative comparative ⇒ absolute anterior consecutive deranking & total identity deletion
 Keywords  comparative, deranking, identity deletion
 Domain  syntax
 Type  implication
 Status  achronic
 Quality  statistical
 Basis  sample of 110 languages
 Source  Stassen 1984: 172, Stassen 1985: 107

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Discussion
Counterexamples
Nama (Khoisan), Breton (Celtic, Indo-European), and Guarani (Tupi) have an Adverbial Comparative, but no absolute sequences (for discussion of these counterexamples see Stassen 1985: 132ff.)
Notes
1. The separative comparative is an instance of fixed-case comparative constructions, in which the standard NP is invariably encoded as a constituent part of an adverbial phrase with a separative (‘source’) interpretation.2. The deranked consecutive chains can be divided into two typologically significant classes, on the basis of whether it is the anterior predicate or the posterior predicate which is affected by the deranking procedure. The first class is referred to as ANTERIOR (CONSECUTIVE) DERANKING, the second one as POSTERIOR (CONSECUTIVE) DERANKING. 3. Languages in which the deranking procedure does not obtain a structural condition on subject-identity and where a deranked predicate can have its own overt subject are called ABSOLUTE deranking languages. 4. Cf. ##988, 994.
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
1. The separative comparative is an instance of fixed-case comparative constructions, in which the standard NP is invariably encoded as a constituent part of an adverbial phrase with a separative ('source') interpretation.

2. The deranked consecutive chains can be divided into two typologically significant classes, on the basis of whether it is the anterior predicate or the posterior predicate which is affected by the deranking procedure. The first class is referred to as ANTERIOR (CONSECUTIVE) DERANKING, the second one as POSTERIOR (CONSECUTIVE) DERANKING.

3. Languages in which the deranking procedure does not obtain a structural condition on subject-identity and where a deranked predicate can have its own overt subject are called ABSOLUTE deranking languages.

4. Cf. <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=988"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">, <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=994"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">.