Category: Universals Archive

Universal 1156: Original If the definiteness of the head determines the shape of the relative pronoun, the pronoun co-occurring with the definite head will be…

Universal 1172: distributive-share universal quantifier ⇒ simple universal quantifier Original If a language possesses a distributive-share universal quantifier, it possesses a simple universal quantifier. Standardized…

Universal 1188: logophoric (1) ⇒ logophoric (2) ⇒ logophoric (3) Original If there are logophoric forms for1st and/or 2nd person pronouns, then there is one…

Universal 1204: Original In all languages, there are never more person distinctions within possessive pronouns and possessive affixes than within personal pronouns. Standardized IF there…

Universal 1220: Original If localization is expressed by adpositions, then there will also be nominal combinations for purposes of localization. Standardized IF localization is expressed…

Universal 1236: Original If a language has initial or final clusters, then it also has medial clusters. Standardized IF there are initial or final clusters,…

Universal 1252: Original Front consonants are less prone to develop in accordance with consonant gradation than back consonants. Standardized Front consonants are less prone to…

Universal 1268: Original Hierarchy of quantifiers: each > every > all > most > many > several > some (+NPPl) > a few (‘>’ means…

Universal 1284: Original If nasality co-occurs in the neighborhood of a vowel or is inherent in the vowel itself of a given height m, then…

Universal 1300: postposition ⇒ Nominalizing affixes on N are suffixed Original If a language is postpositional, nominalizing affixes on noun (if any) are suffixed with…