Universal 1299: SOV ⇒ Indefiniteness affixes on N are suffixed;
Original
If a language has SOV, indefiniteness affixes on N (if any) are suffixed.
Standardized
If basic order is SOV, THEN indefiniteness affixes on nouns (if any) are suffixed.
Keywords
order, SOV, noun, indefinite, affix-order, suffix
Domain
inflection, syntax
Type
implication
Status
achronic
Quality
absolute
Basis
200 languages drawn from three samples: a 113-language sample by L. Stassen, a 40-language sample by J. Bybee & R. Perkins, and a 50-language sample by G. Gilligan
1. Moravcsik 1994: 49 summarizes universals of Hawkins & Gilligan (here ##414, 1303, 1305, 1306, and 1308) in a more general form:If a language has SOV order, nominal affixes, if any, are suffixed with overwhelmingly greater than chance frequency.2. #892 states a general tendency of OV languages to have suffixes and VO languages to have prefixes.
1. Moravcsik 1994: 49 summarizes universals of Hawkins & Gilligan (here ##414, 1303, 1305, 1306, and 1308) in a more general form:If a language has SOV order, nominal affixes, if any, are suffixed with overwhelmingly greater than chance frequency.2. #892 states a general tendency of OV languages to have suffixes and VO languages to have prefixes.