Category: Universals Archive

Universal 1908: Original If in a language the grammatical expression of predicative possession requires the use of the marker of either comitative or instrumental, then…

Universal 1924: Original If a language has two modifier constructions that differ in linear order and in linguistic distance, the construction with a prenominal modifier…

Universal 1940: Original The use of all other processes of nominal derivation and inflection (namely internal modification, suprasegmental processes, subtraction, conversion, suppletion), with the exception…

Universal 1956: Original In isolierenden Sprachen werden alle Wurzeln gleichwertig behandelt. Man kann es der Wurzel nicht einmal ansehen, ob sie nominalen oder verbalen Charakter…

Universal 1972: Original An existential or copulative element tends to be omitted more often in a construction which involves a full predication such as a…

Universal 1988: Original Das substantiv gibt den namen, das adjectiv die beschaffenheit des gegenstandes an. sicher war auch jenes bei seinem ursprung von einer eigenschaft…

Universal 2004: Original [When the controller consists of conjoined NPs and they have features which require resolution,] in person resolution the first person takes precedence…

Universal 2020: Original All languages have words linking feelings with (i) the thought that “something bad can happen to me”, (ii) the thought that “I…

Universal 2: Postposition ⇒ G N Original In languages with postpositions the genitive almost always precedes the governing noun. Standardized IF adpositions follow their NPs…

Universal 20: Original In all languages, if a nominal possessor carries external case, so does the pronominal one. Standardized IF a nominal possessor carries external…