Category: Universals Archive

Universal 1789: ’VN ⇒ ^VN Original The development of distinctive nasalization is preferred first in stressed/tonic syllables. Standardized IF nasalization occurs in unstressed/atonic syllables, THEN…

Universal 1805: Original Standardized IF there is a voiced labial-velar stop, THEN there is a voiceless labiodental fricative. Keywords fricative, stop, labial-velar, labiodental, voice Domain…

Universal 1821: Original Standardized IF there is a labialized voiceless uvular ejective stop, THEN there is a labialized voiceless velar fricative. Keywords stop, fricative, labial,…

Universal 1837: Original Standardized IF there is a voiced palatal affricate, THEN there is also a voiceless palatal affricate. Keywords affricate, palatal, voice Domain phonology…

Universal 1853: Original The liquids tend to have a lateral quality while occurring in the neighborhood of (especially before) front vowels. Standardized When a vowel…

Universal 1869: Original Core items of the baby talk register tend to persist for long periods of time. Standardized Core items of the baby talk…

Universal 1885: Original The Cleftability Hierarchy:Subject > Direct Object > Indirect Object > Oblique NP > Genitive NP > Object of Comparison. Standardized IF Object…

Universal 1901: Original If a language exhibits only prenasalized voiceless consonants, voicing is non-contrastive within the consonant system. Standardized IF there are prenasalized voiceless consonants…

Universal 1917: Original If a language lacks a definite article, it tends to lack (fully) indirect speech. Standardized IF there is no definite article, THEN…

Universal 1933: impersonal indefinite is borrowed ⇒ temporal indefinite is borrowed Original If there is a word-form loan of an impersonal indefinite, then it is…