Category: Universals Archive

Universal 1508: general psych-verbs > general emotion verbs > evaluation, WANT > verbs of authority, ruling Original Hierarchy of verb classes often using subject or…

Universal 1524: OS ⇒ Num N Original [In subject-final languages] With much greater than chance frequency numerical expressions precede the nouns they modify. Standardized IF…

Universal 1540: Original In verb-initial languages, speech act indicators (e.g. question particles, etc.) are normally sentence initial, though other positions are possible. Standardized IF word…

Universal 1556: verb-initial ⇒ ¬ embedded sentential objects Original In verb-initial languages, sentential objects are never embedded. They normally follow the main sentence but may…

Universal 1572: Original If there are reciprocal and antipassive reflexive verb and if there is any overlapping between any groups of reflexive verb, there is…

Universal 1588: body part > inherent attribute > clothing > (kin) > pet animal > product > other possessee Original Possession cline which represents the…

Universal 1604: front vowels nasalized ⇒ back vowels nasalized Original There is a tendency for back vowels to nasalize more readily than front ones. Standardized…

Universal 1620: Animate: Sex; Inanimate: Nature, Individuation Original The implicational hierarchy of semantic distinctions for noun class systems: Animacy is involved in all noun class…

Universal 1636: preposition incorporation ⇒ verb-final Original Relational preverbs are primarily (though not exclusively) favoured in verb-final languages. Standardized IF there are relational preverbs owing…

Universal 1652: Original If in a language finite and non-finite (attributive and/or argument) functions of converbs are equally marked or equally unmarked, then the language…