Universal 1536: Original In verb-initial languages, there is a tendency for many types of subordinate clauses to be finite. Standardized IF word order is verb-initial,…
Universal 1536:
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Universal 1536: Original In verb-initial languages, there is a tendency for many types of subordinate clauses to be finite. Standardized IF word order is verb-initial,…
Posted in Universals Archive
Universal 1552: Original In verb-initial and verb-final languages, but not in verb-medial ones, relative pronouns which code the case of the position relativized are rare.…
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Universal 1568: Original If a language has both (a) reflexive construction with the true passive meaning and (b) special (e.g., analytical participial) forms for the…
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Universal 1584: kin terms and/or body parts > part-whole and/or spatial relations > culturally basic possessed items Original Semantic scale of inalienable possession: kin terms…
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Universal 1600: Original If a language has DPs at all, it has DPs of type e. If it has no DPs distinct from NPs, it…
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Universal 1616: subject pro-drop ⇔ inflectional paradigms of verbs are morphologically uniform Original The Null Subject Parameter:Null subjects are permitted in all and only languages…
Universal 1632: polysynthesis ⇒ Wh-movement Original In polysynthetic languages, interrogative phrases are constrained to appear in clause-initial position. Standardized IF there is polysynthesis, THEN interrogative…
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Universal 1648: Original The great majority of pronominalization strategies, regardless of language type, favour dependent-marking pattern. Standardized IF relative clause formation involves pronominalization, THEN it…
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Universal 1665: SVO ⇒ rheme in an immediately postverbal position or after an unstressed element Original In SVO languages, the usual place of the focused…
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Universal 1681: Original There is a very general principle that if one resolution operates [in determining agreement with conjoined NPs], all must operate if possible.…