Category: Universals Archive

Universal 333: Original If verbal suffixes or enclitics which point out the subject and/or object, under some conditions, move from the postverbal position to the…

Universal 349: Original If VSO order is one of the alternative orders, then VOS is also one of the alternative orders. Standardized IF VSO is…

Universal 365: Original If the verb agrees with the subject and object and there is at least one o-V form, then the dominant order is…

Universal 381: Original All languages have constructions whose function is to place topic, both old and new, before comment. Standardized All languages have constructions whose…

Universal 397: Original An affix may condition inwards if in some other context an affix of the same type conditions outwards in the same language.…

Universal 413: SOV ⇒ Gender affixes on N are suffixed;prefixed Gender affixes ⇒ VO ; (or: prefixed Gender affixes ⇒ ¬SOV) Original If a language…

Universal 429: gender ⇒ gender (3 person) Original If in a particular language gender distinctions appear, it will be the 3rd person. Standardized IF gender…

Universal 445: complement-balancing ⇒ assimilation of ANC to non-derived NP;complement-deranking ⇒ retention of sentential marking of ANC Original Complement-balancing languages favour assimilation of ANCs to…

Universal 461: Original For verbs with the general meaning to “destroy” or to “create” (see ):If there is no voice opposition, the NP which has…

Universal 477: Original If the same progressive constructions are used for present and for non-present tenses, the progressive aspect verb phrase will either be unmarked…