Category: Universals Archive

Universal 1661: Original Proper name-like uses are much more frequent with certain kin terms, notably the ones that denote ascending relations, and in particular parental…

Universal 1677: Original There is a strong tendency for agent-oriented modality to be expressed by verbs, auxiliaries or non-bound particles, whereas speaker-oriented and epistemic modalities…

Universal 1693: conditional deranking of consecutive chains ⇒ posterior deranking & SVO Original Languages which permit only conditional deranking of consecutive chains have posterior deranking…

Universal 1709: Original The Contact Law:A syllable contact A$B is the more preferred, the less the Consonantal Strength of the offset A and the greater…

Universal 1725: Original If the definite article can be the sole marker of definiteness in a noun phrase, it can also be the sole marker…

Universal 1741: Original There is more prefixing on verb than on noun. If a language has any prefixes on noun, it will also have prefixes…

Universal 1757: Original SOV languages cannot borrow a set of prepositions. Standardized IF basic word order is SOV, THEN there are no prepositions owing to…

Universal 1773: Original If denasalization applies to /o/, then it also applies to /e/. Standardized IF denasalization applies to /o/, THEN it also applies to…

Universal 1789: ’VN ⇒ ^VN Original The development of distinctive nasalization is preferred first in stressed/tonic syllables. Standardized IF nasalization occurs in unstressed/atonic syllables, THEN…

Universal 1805: Original Standardized IF there is a voiced labial-velar stop, THEN there is a voiceless labiodental fricative. Keywords fricative, stop, labial-velar, labiodental, voice Domain…