Universal 1539: verb-initial ⇒ [S and S];verb-initial ⇒ ¬ [S, S and] Original In verb-initial languages, coordinate sentences are commonly expressed as [S and S].…
Category: Universals Archive
Universals Archive
Universal 1555:
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Universal 1555: Original In verb-initial languages, sentential objects always follow the subject and are very commonly finite as opposed to the more usual non-finite/nominalized treatment…
Universal 1571:
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Universal 1571: Original If a language has homonymous (a) decausative reflexive verb and (b) reflexive verb with the passive sense, it is type (b) that…
Universal 1587: bound nouns ⇒ head-marked possession Original Bound nouns appear to exist only where there is head-marked possession. Standardized IF there is a set…
Universal 1603:
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Universal 1603: Original Low vowels are more likely to be regressively nasalized than high vowels. Standardized IF high vowels are regressively nasalized, THEN low vowels…
Universal 1619: Animate: Posture;
Inanimate: Shape/Orientation > Individuation, Rigidity
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Universal 1619: Animate: Posture;Inanimate: Shape/Orientation > Individuation, Rigidity Original The implicational hierarchy of semantic distinctions for predicate classifier systems: The primary distinction in predicate classifier…
Universal 1635: productive noun-incorporation ⇒ head-marking Original Languages with productive noun incorporation must be of the head-marking type. Standardized IF there is productive noun incorporation,…
Universal 1651:
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Universal 1651: Original If in a language finite and non-finite (attributive and/or argument) functions of a form appear to be equally marked or equally unmarked,…
Universal 1667:
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Universal 1667: Original There is a tendency for conjunctions (including comlementizers) to occur in clause-final position in SOV languages and in clause-initial position in VSO…
Universal 1683: absolute deranking ⇒ conditional deranking Original There are no languages in which deranking under non-identity of subjects is possible while at the same…