Category: Universals Archive

Universal 174: Prep ⇒ (N Num ⇒ N G) Original If a language is prepositional, then if the numeral follows the noun, the genitive follows…

Universal 190: locative > allative > ablative > prolative Original If only some locational relations are expressed in a case system, they will always include…

Universal 206: ergative alignment ⇒ case (Erg/Abs) & personal affix (Erg/Abs) Original The most important implications of ergativity are the following: the opposition of ergative…

Universal 222: Original If a language has a distributive-key quantifier word, then that word is a distributive-key universal quantifier. Standardized IF there is a distributive-key…

Universal 238: rigid word order ⇒ Subj Predicate & VO & PrepN & NAdj & NRel & N PP Original If constituent order is rigid,…

Universal 254: case (adjective) ⇒ case (noun) Original If there is a certain case distinction in the forms of the adjective, there is the same…

Universal 270: category X (neuter gender) ⇒ category X (non-neuter gender) Original If a certain grammatical distinction occurs in the paradigm of the neuter gender,…

Universal 286: Original If a causative morpheme is unproductive in relation to transitives, forming from them a relatively small (closed) group of trivalent causatives, among…

Universal 302: Original In the majority of languages the nominal and pronominal subject in the passive voice has the same grammatical patterning as the subject…

Universal 318: backness distinctions Š height distinctions Original The number of height distinctions in a system is typically equal or greater than the number of…