Author: FP

Universal 1512: OS ⇒ #V Original Subject-final languages are always verb-initial. Standardized IF full noun phrase subjects must follow full noun phrase direct objects, THEN…

Universal 1513: VOS (basic) ⇒ SVO (alternative) Original SVO is a grammatical (although marked) word order in all VOS languages. Standardized If basic word order…

Universal 1514: OS ⇒ no verb agreement V. agreement with two noun phrases Original If a language is subject-final then either transitive verbs of unmarked…

Universal 1515: OS & transitive verbs show agreement ⇒ s-V-o Original If transitive verbs in subject-final languages present agreement at all, then they have a…

Universal 1516: OS ⇒ little nominal case marking Original Subject-final languages have relatively little nominal case marking. Standardized IF subject full noun phrases follow object…

Universal 1517: OS ⇒ prepositions Original Subject-final languages are generally prepositional rather than postpositional. Standardized IF subject full noun phrases follow object full noun phrases,…

Universal 1518: Original In subject-final languages noun phrase questions can always be formed by putting the question word, e.g., Who? What? etc., in a preverbal…

Universal 1519: Original All subject-final languages present morphemically independent subordinate conjunctions which precede a finite clause. Standardized IF subject full noun phrases follow object full…

Universal 1520: OS ⇒ N Gen Original In possessive constructions subject-final languages always present full noun phrase possessors after the head (the possessed) noun phrase.…

Universal 1521: OS ⇒ N Rel Original In subject-final languages relative clauses always present the head noun to the left of the restricting clause. Standardized…