Category: Universals Archive

Universal 1461: Original If some form denotes the metaperson ‘speaker + hearer(s)’, then(a) in some languages this form can also denote the metaperson ‘speaker +…

Universal 1477: Original In all languages, if the metaperson ‘speaker + hearer(s) + non-participant(s)’ is not the only meaning of a certain form, then this…

Universal 1493: Original Incorporated nouns attach to the left of the verb stem in not-verb-initial languages. Standardized IF basic word order is not-verb-initial (i.e. verb-medial…

Universal 1510: Direct object (two-place verb) > Direct object (bitransitive verb) > Coargument NP > Non-coargument NP > NP in a non-finite subordinate clause >…

Universal 1526: OS ⇒ Neg Verb Original Negative elements precede the verb in subject-final languages. Standardized IF subject full noun phrases follow object full noun…

Universal 1542: verb-initial ⇒ prefixal case-marking Original In verb-initial languages, where affixal case marking occurs, it is more likely to be prefixal than in verb-final…

Universal 1558: verb-initial ⇒ Causativized verb-Causativizing verb Original In verb-initial languages, causativized verbs follow the causativizing verb. Standardized IF word order is verb-initial, THEN causativized…

Universal 1574: Original If there are any reflexive verbs built by adding reflexive marker and an affix (or a predicative adjective, etc.), some of these…

Universal 1590: Original Verb-medial languages exhibit a slight preposing tendency, but a strong tendency not to affix preposed material. Standardized IF basic order is verb-medial,…

Universal 1606: Original Hierarchy of nasalization spread: vowels, h, glottal stop > oral glides > liquids. Standardized IF nasalization spreads from a contextually nasalized vowel…