Category: Universals Archive

Universal 1048: SOV ⇒ ¬preclitics;VSO ⇒ ¬postclitic question markers Original If word order is SOV, then there are no preclitics.If word order is VSO, then…

Universal 1064: Original Languages often have mechanisms to remove stress from final position, often putting it in penultimate position; but there is no corresponding tendency…

Universal 1080: Original Duration of aspiration varies according to place of articulation: k > t > p. Standardized Duration of aspiration varies according to place…

Universal 1096: Original There is an overall distinction between Type A and B languages, with the following correlations (i.e. mutual implications) of opposite properties defining…

Universal 1112: ¬ subject raising ⇒ ¬ full passive Original Subject Raising Constraint:No argument of an object complement sentence can be raised into subject position.Any…

Universal 1128: incorporation (subjects and objects) ⇒ ¬ case-marking v ergative case-marking Original If subjects and objects can be incorporated into verbs, then they are…

Universal 1144: passive (stative verbs) ⇒ passive (activity verbs) Original If a language has passives of stative verbs (e.g. ‘lack’, ‘have’ etc.) then it has…

Universal 1160: Original Any noun that is pronominalizable may take a definite article, but of these, only those that are numerable may take an indefinite…

Universal 1176: Original Terms for ‘pupil (of the eye)’ are most likely to be derived from nouns denoting a small human like a baby, or…

Universal 1192: Original If the head of a restrictive relative clause does not function as the subject of the restricting clause then that subject must…