Category: Universals Archive

Universal 495: VSO ⇒ no Q positioned relative to a particular word in the sentence Original Question particles or affixes, when specified in position by…

Universal 511: Tr ⇒ Du; ¬Du ⇒ ¬Tr;Du ⇒ Pl; ¬Pl => ¬Du Original No language has a trial number unless it has a dual.…

Universal 527: Original Zero is never expressed as part of the numeral system. Standardized Zero is never expressed as part of the numeral system. Keywords…

Universal 543: Original If a link for subtraction is final, the language is postpositional. Standardized IF a link for subtraction is final, THEN there are…

Universal 559: Original Where the distinction between absolute and contextual cardinal numerals exists, the use of contextual form as a multiplier with a lower base…

Universal 575: Du & Pl (exclusive pronoun) ⇒ Du & Pl (inclusive pronoun) Original There is no language which distinguishes a Dual and a Plural…

Universal 591: Original The repetition of syntactic constituents is used in all languages to express continuity of action (e.g. he walked and walked) and/or emphasis…

Universal 607: Switch-Reference (1 &, V 2) ⇒ Switch-Reference (3) Original If there is Switch-Reference marking with 1st and/or 2nd Person, then also with 3rd…

Universal 623: Original If a language has distributive-share quantifier words, it has non-configurational NPs, and does not distinguish between nouns of low and high countability…

Universal 639: Original A repluralized or a double plural pronominal form indicates greater respect or social distance than an original, archaic or simple plural, when…