Category: Universals Archive

Universal 1000: Original In patterned symbolic processes (particularly distance symbolism), vowel ablaut has the highest frequency of occurrence and most random language distribution both geographically…

Universal 1016: Original If there are analogical changes in their inflectional paradigms, the forms (stems and affixes) of the present replace more likely the forms…

Universal 1032: Original Morphemically simple phonological words never have more than one main stress. Standardized Morphemically simple phonological words never have more than one main…

Universal 1048: SOV ⇒ ¬preclitics;VSO ⇒ ¬postclitic question markers Original If word order is SOV, then there are no preclitics.If word order is VSO, then…

Universal 1064: Original Languages often have mechanisms to remove stress from final position, often putting it in penultimate position; but there is no corresponding tendency…

Universal 1080: Original Duration of aspiration varies according to place of articulation: k > t > p. Standardized Duration of aspiration varies according to place…

Universal 1096: Original There is an overall distinction between Type A and B languages, with the following correlations (i.e. mutual implications) of opposite properties defining…

Universal 1112: ¬ subject raising ⇒ ¬ full passive Original Subject Raising Constraint:No argument of an object complement sentence can be raised into subject position.Any…

Universal 1128: incorporation (subjects and objects) ⇒ ¬ case-marking v ergative case-marking Original If subjects and objects can be incorporated into verbs, then they are…

Universal 1144: passive (stative verbs) ⇒ passive (activity verbs) Original If a language has passives of stative verbs (e.g. ‘lack’, ‘have’ etc.) then it has…