Category: Universals Archive

Universal 1623: Original There is some evidence that in numeral classifier languages when concrete objects are counted the numerals always occur with the appropriate classifiers.…

Universal 1639: Original Evolution of semantic functions of subjective reflexive markers: semantic reflexivity > ‘partitive object’ and/or autocausative > absolute and/or reciprocal. (a) RMs with…

Universal 1655: Original Whenever the same term is used to designate the mother and the father’s sister, this same term is used for the mother’s…

Universal 1671: stem modification ⇒ flexive Original Hier [d.h. in der Veränderlichkeit des Wortstammes] liegt also ein wirkliches Unterscheidungsmerkmal der flektierenden von den nichtflektierenden Sprachen…

Universal 1687: anterior deranking ⇒ absolute deranking Original If a language has anterior deranking (and is therefore typically SOV; see #1690), it has absolute deranking.…

Universal 1703: Original It follows from the Coda and Nucleus Laws (, ) that a syllable will be the more preferred, the less the Consonantal…

Universal 1719: Original If the definite article co-occurs with the noun accompanied by a demonstrative, it also co-occurs with nouns accompanied by at least some…

Universal 1735: Original If an article is the sole carrier of gender and/or number and/or case, it will co-occur with definite and generic nouns. Standardized…

Universal 1751: Original If ordinal numerals are distinguished from cardinal numerals for numbers higher than 1, then they are also distinguished for 1. Standardized IF…

Universal 1767: Original Nasal effacement applies to unstressed nasals in preference to stressed nasals. Standardized IF stressed nasals in stressed syllables are effaced [deleted?], THEN…