Category: Universals Archive

Universal 935: Original When in a given language there is extensive neutralization among the primary nasal consonants, this occurs in prejunctural and/or preconsonantal positions. Standardized…

Universal 951: Original If direct and indirect/non-direct objects are syntagmatically distinguished at all, then they are distinguished in all ditransitive constructions. Standardized IF direct and…

Universal 967: Plural word ⇒ isolating V head-marking Original Plural words are most commonly found in languages which are isolating or head-marking. Standardized IF there…

Universal 983: exceeded comparative ⇒ SVO Original If a language has an exceed comparative, then it is SVO. Standardized IF there is an exceed comparative,…

Universal 999: Original Terminal intonations are almost universally low or falling for finality and assertion, and high or rising for the opposite, including yes-no questions.…

Universal 1015: Original If there are analogical changes in their inflectional paradigms, the forms (stems and affixes) of cardinal numerals replace more likely the forms…

Universal 1031: Original The climactic poles of the three accentual features tend to correlate with each other. Thus, e.g., where stress is predictable from vowel…

Universal 1047: Original If there is tonal ascent, then there is also tonal descent. Standardized IF there is tonal ascent, THEN there is also tonal…

Universal 1063: Original When stress is phonologically predictable (i.e., demarcative), it mostly falls on initial syllables, somewhat less commonly on final syllables or on penultimate…

Universal 1079: Original Aspiration tends to be stronger in initial and/or pre-tonic position antevocalically. Standardized Aspiration tends to be stronger in initial and/or pre-tonic position…