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Universal 1106: locative possessive ⇒ simultaneous deranking

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 1106: locative possessive ⇒ simultaneous deranking

Original
If a language has a Locative Possessive, that language will have deranking of simultaneous sequences.
Standardized
IF there is Locative Possessive, THEN there is deranking of simultaneous sequences.
Keywords
possessive, deranking
Domain
inflection, syntax
Type
implication
Status
achronic
Quality
statistical
Basis
sample of 300 languages
Source
Stassen 1998
Counterexamples
Evaluation: confirmed for 84 out of 91 cases of Locative Possessives.Problem: Russian, Celtic (both Indo-European), Arabic, Hebrew (both Semitic, Afro-Asiatic) have Locative Possessives, but not synchronic possibilities of absolute deranking.Possibility: the Locative Possessive is more conservative than its model. Languages may lose their Deranking strategy while hanging on to their Locative Possessives.

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP

    The LOCATIVE POSSESSIVE. Features:(a) the main verb is the locative/existential item “to be ” (which, in a limited number of cases may be zero);(b) the possessed item (PD) is the subject;(c) the NP which indicates the possessor (PR) is in a locational case (Locative, Dative, Adessive, etc.).

    1. May 2020

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