Category: Universals Archive

Universal 794: Original If a language has only one place of articulation for a given type of consonant it is most likely to be the…

Universal 810: stress for semantic contrast ⇒ non-monosyllabic Original Stress can be used for semantic contrasts only in non-monosyllabic languages. Standardized IF stress is used…

Universal 826: correlatives ⇒ ¬ RelN Original If a language has correlative relative constructions, it does not have prenominal ad-relative* clauses. Standardized IF there are…

Universal 842: Original There are no initial or final clusters in which all obstruent combinations are heterogeneous in regard to voicing. Standardized There are no…

Universal 858: Original In final systems, clusters with two members never consist of a hushing followed by a hissing sibilant. Standardized In final systems, clusters…

Universal 874: Original In initial clusters, the existence of at least one cluster consisting of nasal + liquid implies the existence of at least one…

Universal 890: Original Iambic vs. Troachaic phrase accent and its many correlatesSee Graphics Standardized See Graphics for Iambic vs. Troachaic phrase accent and its many…

Universal 906: Original In any language, case marking by means of segmental modification implies that affixes are also utilized in this paradigmatic domain. Standardized IF…

Universal 922: Original If in a given language a syllabic consonant occurs in the phonological context X in root morphemes, then it occurs also in…

Universal 938: Original In most languages, low vowels are longer than high vowels, all things being equal.(see also IPA) Standardized Low vowels tend to be…