Category: Universals Archive

Universal 1340: voiced obstruent word-finally ⇒ voiceless obstruent word-finally Original If a language has voiced obstruents word-finally, then it also has voiceless obstruents word-finally. Standardized…

Universal 1356: Original All the bases of systems are divisible by the fundamental base. Standardized All the bases of numeral systems are divisible by the…

Universal 1372: SOV v. VOS ⇒ ¬ verb HAVE;verb HAVE ⇒ SVO Original A lexically distinct form of verb HAVE is generally missing in verb…

Universal 1388: Original If the future is periphrastic, the auxiliary will always be a present tense or unmarked form. Standardized When the future is periphrastic,…

Universal 1404: Original If a language expresses general number then it will do so (either solely, or as the normal case) through the maximally unmarked…

Universal 1420: Original If a language has a distributive-key quantifier word, it has a distributive-key universal quantifier. Standardized IF there is a distributive-key quantifier word,…

Universal 1436: N Adj ⇒ overt copula form (of “to be”) in the present tense form Original If in a language the adjective follows the…

Universal 1452: Original In an overwhelming majority of languages, if some form denotes the metaperson ‘hearer’ in the non-singular, it cannot include among its meanings…

Universal 1468: Original In an overwhelming majority of languages, if some form denotes the metaperson ‘hearer(s) + non-participant(s)’, then it also denotes the metaperson ‘hearer’…

Universal 1484: Original If in a language there is a pronominal form denoting the trial of the metapersons ‘hearer’ and ‘hearer(s) + non-participant(s)’ and/or the…