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Universal 1389:

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 1389:

Original
Retrospective languages tend toward finer temporal gradation in the past than in the future and prospective languages tend toward no or equal gradation of past and future tenses.
Standardized
Retrospective languages tend toward finer temporal gradation in the past than in the future and prospective languages tend toward no or equal gradation of past and future tenses.
Keywords
tense, past, future
Domain
inflection, syntax
Type
no genuine implication; rather: provided that
Status
achronic
Quality
statistical
Basis
sample of 50 languages in Ultan 1972, Ultan 1978a
Source
Ultan 1972, Ultan 1978a: 93
Counterexamples
For the first part: Chukchi (Chukchi-Kamchatkan), Tonkawa (Coahuiltecan) (Ultan 1978: 92)

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP

    If a present tense may ordinarily mark a Moment of speech (MOS) future or if the latter may be unmarked, the system is prospective.If a present tense may ordinarily mark a MOS past or if the latter may be unmarked, the system is retrospective.

    1. May 2020

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