Universal 1183: OS ⇒ #V
- Original
- Basic word orders OSV and OVS do not occur at all, while SVO, SOV, VSO, and VOS are all attested.
- Standardized
- Basic word orders OSV and OVS do not occur at all, while SVO, SOV, VSO, and VOS are all attested.
That is:
IF the object precedes the subject in basic order, THEN the verb is initial. - Keywords
- order, verb, subject, object
- Domain
- syntax
- Type
- implication
- Status
- achronic
- Quality
- absolute
- Basis
- languages in Pullum 1977
- Source
- Pullum 1977: 269
- Counterexamples
- OVS languages: ApalaĂ, Arekuna-Taupilang, BacairĂ, Hianacoto-Umaua, Hixkaryana, Makushi, Panare (all Carib), AsurinĂ (Kariri-Tupi) (Derbyshire 1977, Derbyshire & Pullum 1981); Wajana (Carib) (Howell 1982); Barasano (Tucanoan) (Pullum 1981); Coos (Coosan) (Greenberg 1963: 110).OSV languages: ApurinĂŁ (Arawakan), NadĂ«b (MakĂș), UrubĂș (Tupi), Xavante (GĂȘ) (Derbyshire & Pullum 1981); Kabardian (North Caucasian), Hurrian (isolate) (Polinskaja 1987: 89, 1989)
Cf. statements by Greenberg and Keenan: ##490, 1516.