Category: Universals Archive

Universal 991: absolute posterior consecutive deranking ⇒ VSO Original Languages with absolute posterior consecutive deranking typically prefer VSO word order. Standardized IF there is absolute…

Universal 1007: Original Pidginization processes tend to replace fricatives other than s by stops. Standardized Pidginization processes tend to replace fricatives other than s by…

Universal 1023: Original If a language has a parts-of speech system of types 1-2/3 and has Predicate-final basic word order, then it has Modifier Head…

Universal 1039: Original Root accent is systematically favoured over inflectional accent. Standardized Root accent is systematically favoured over inflectional accent. Keywords root, affix, accent Domain…

Universal 1055: Original If verbs agree in Person, they are even likelier also to agree in Number. Standardized IF verbs agree in person, THEN they…

Universal 1071: Original While a tone can be restricted in occurrence by an adjacent voiced vs. voiceless consonant, no stress language assigns stress on such…

Universal 1087: Original It is clear that the general tendency for a cluster of consonant and nasal is either to (i) retain the nasality (by…

Universal 1103: Original If there is a bound vs. free split, the bound prefixes will be accusative, and case marking on free forms will be…

Universal 1119: Original If the extension of the pronominal dual is limited and includes the 3rd person, all nouns or at least some of them…

Universal 1135: Original If the dual extends to all number-inflecting personal pronouns and nouns, its conception will be that of a duo-paucal rather than of…