Month: May 2020

Universal 215: N G (possessive construction) ⇒ QuantN (partitive construction) Original If a language has a noun-genitive order in the possessive construction, it has quantitative-noun…

Universal 214: fixed-case (comparative) ⇒ deranking Original If a language has a fixed-case comparative, then that language is deranking. Standardized IF there is a fixed-case…

Universal 213: derived-case comparative ⇒ balancing Original If a language has a derived-case comparative, then that language is balancing. Standardized IF there is a derived-case…

Universal 212: vocalic opposition ⇒ consonantal opposition Original IF a language has a vocalic opposition, THEN it has a consonantal opposition. Standardized IF there is…

Universal 211: nominative alignment ⇒ case (Nom/Acc) & personal affix (SUB) Original The most important implications of the nominative type are: the single “subject” series…

Universal 210: Original A differentiation of rounded vowels according to degree of aperture cannot arise as long as the same opposition is lacking for unrounded…

Universal 209: Original An opposition of two vowels of the same degree of aperture is not present as long as a corresponding vocalic opposition of…

Universal 208: OV ⇒ pitch accent;VO ⇒ stress accent Original OV languages are characterized by pitch accent.VO languages tend to have stress accent accompanied by…

Universal 207: VO ⇒ complex syllable structure Original VO languages tend to have complex syllable structure. Standardized IF basic order is VO, THEN syllable structure…

Universal 206: ergative alignment ⇒ case (Erg/Abs) & personal affix (Erg/Abs) Original The most important implications of ergativity are the following: the opposition of ergative…