Category: Universals Archive

Universal 573: obligatory (in)definiteness marking ⇒ ¬ obligatory numeral classifier Original If a language has obligatory marking of (in)definiteness, then it has no obligatory marking…

Universal 589: Original All languages include utterance pairs where inclusion relations between semantic representations are paralleled by corresponding inclusion relations in morpheme structure; but in…

Universal 605: Original If a language has a derivational morpheme whose distributional characterization makes reference to objects, it will also make reference to intransitive subjects…

Universal 621: Original Distributive-key quantifier words are at least as closely bound to their head nouns as their ordinary counterparts. Standardized Distributive-key quantifier words are…

Universal 637: Original Variation in number to show degrees of respect or social distance is used in pronominal reference only to individuals, never to groups.…

Universal 653: large phoneme inventory ⇒ short morphemes;small phoneme inventory ⇒ long morphemes Original There is an inverse relationship between the number of phonemes in…

Universal 669: Original Question particles may co-occur with inversion in yes-no questions. Standardized IF yes-no questions are marked by question particles, THEN they may in…

Universal 685: Original All languages have the place distinctions of high and low and of front and back in their vowel systems; hence vowel systems…

Universal 701: Original In most languages the base number is put before the unit, and in general a higher number before a lower, when they…

Universal 717: Original Phonetically Central tones are unmarked, Extreme tones are highly marked. Standardized Among CENTRAL and EXTREME tones, CENTRAL are usually unmarked and EXTREME…