Category: Universals Archive

Universal 510: Original When number agreement between the noun and verb is suspended and the rule is based on order, the case is always one…

Universal 526: Original Every number n (0<n<L) can be expressed as part of the numeral system in any language. Standardized Every number n (0<n<L) can…

Universal 542: Original When there is a word order variation in addition between larger and smaller, and one order has an overt link and the…

Universal 558: Original The existence of a separate absolute form for a particular numerical value implies its existence for the next lower value. Standardized IF…

Universal 574: obligatory (in)definiteness marking ⇒ ¬stacked adnominal construction Original If a language has obligatory marking of (in)definiteness, then it has no stacked adnominal numeral…

Universal 590: Original All languages include some utterances where the grouping of some semantic features in syntactic surface structure is identical to their grouping in…

Universal 606: Original If there are two verb-lexicalization rules in a language such that the two meaning characterization contrast only in the quantity or quality…

Universal 622: Original Distributive-key quantifier words and their ordinary counterparts are not morphologically related. Standardized Distributive-key quantifier words and their ordinary counterparts are not morphologically…

Universal 638: Original In variation of number in pronominal reference showing different degrees of respect or social distance, the non-singular typically indicates a higher degree…

Universal 654: pejorative pronominal affixes ⇒ honorific pronominal affixes Original Honorific affixes to pronouns are more common than pejorative ones; if a language has pejorative…