Category: Universals Archive

Universal 2018: Original All languages have “emotive” interjections (i.e. interjections expressing cognitively based feelings). Standardized There are “emotive” interjections (i.e. interjections expressing cognitively based feelings).…

Universal 4: Original If the exponent of vocative is a prefix, then this prefix has arisen from 1st person possessor or a 2nd person subject.…

Universal 18: SA multi-level ⇒ SA single-level Original In all languages, if Suffixaufnahme occurs in multi-level possessive constructions, it also occurs in single-level ones. Standardized…

Universal 34: SA ⇒ affix sequences Original If a language has Suffixaufnahme, it also has affix sequences outside the construction. Standardized IF there is Suffixaufnahme,…

Universal 50: Original In agreement of adnominal modifiers with their heads (NP internal agreement), the agreement features may include case but not person. Standardized The…

Universal 66: OV ⇒ (A N ⇒ GN) Original If a language has OV word order, then if the adjective precedes the noun, the genitive…

Universal 82: Original There is no language in which an accusative object must first be demoted via dative-shift before it can be passivized. Standardized Passivization…

Universal 98: Postp ⇒ (Adv Adj ⇒ Stand Mark Adj) Original If a language has Postp word order, then if the adverb precedes the adjective…

Universal 114: N Dem ⇒ N Adj Original There is a significant tendency for N Dem languages to have N Adj. Standardized IF nouns precede…

Universal 130: Original Head-dependent word order is the same in ANCs and non-derived NPs. Standardized IF heads precede/follow dependents in non-derived noun phrases, THEN they…