Category: Universals Archive

Universal 1425: Original If a language has any passives it has ones characterized as basic; moreover, it may have only basic passives. Standardized IF there…

Universal 1441: Original In an overwhelming majority of languages, there is a special form to denote the metaperson ‘speaker’. Standardized In an overwhelming majority of…

Universal 1457: Original In an overwhelming majority of languages, if some form denotes the metaperson ‘non-participant’ in the non-singular, then it cannot be used to…

Universal 1473: Original In an overwhelming majority of languages, if some form denotes the metaperson ‘speaker + hearer(s) + non-participant(s)’, then it denotes also the…

Universal 1489: Original Incorporation takes place with the verbs denoting permanent and general activity (also typical or characteristic activity) whereas “accidental” or indifferent activities take…

Universal 1506: Original Parameters for intransitive-based passives:1 person > Volitional Human > Volitional Animate/Human > Animate & Potent > Inanimate > No Protagonist. If a…

Universal 1522: OS ⇒ ¬ relative pronoun Original Subject-final languages do not have relative pronouns. Standardized IF subject full noun phrases follow object full noun…

Universal 1538: Original In verb-initial languages, sentences which are subordinate to verbs, adjectives, or nouns invariably follow the element to which they are subordinate. Standardized…

Universal 1554: verb-initial ⇒ V-Manner Adverb Original In verb-initial languages, manner adverbs follow the verb if they are a distinct category. Standardized IF word order…

Universal 1570: Original If there are (a) passive verb forms with reflexive marker and (b) special (e.g., participial) verb forms for the passive voice, it…