Category: Universals Archive

Universal 543: Original If a link for subtraction is final, the language is postpositional. Standardized IF a link for subtraction is final, THEN there are…

Universal 559: Original Where the distinction between absolute and contextual cardinal numerals exists, the use of contextual form as a multiplier with a lower base…

Universal 575: Du & Pl (exclusive pronoun) ⇒ Du & Pl (inclusive pronoun) Original There is no language which distinguishes a Dual and a Plural…

Universal 591: Original The repetition of syntactic constituents is used in all languages to express continuity of action (e.g. he walked and walked) and/or emphasis…

Universal 607: Switch-Reference (1 &, V 2) ⇒ Switch-Reference (3) Original If there is Switch-Reference marking with 1st and/or 2nd Person, then also with 3rd…

Universal 623: Original If a language has distributive-share quantifier words, it has non-configurational NPs, and does not distinguish between nouns of low and high countability…

Universal 639: Original A repluralized or a double plural pronominal form indicates greater respect or social distance than an original, archaic or simple plural, when…

Universal 655: Original In languages in which categories of proximity, inclusiveness and definiteness are employed to convey social meaning, non-proximate, exclusive, and indefinite or impersonal…

Universal 671: Original Lexical items that are more stable than other items in one language family tend to be among the more stable items in…

Universal 687: Original CV (Consonant + Vowel) is the only universal model of the syllable. There are languages lacking syllables with initial vowels and/or syllables…