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Universal 1473:

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 1473:

Original
In an overwhelming majority of languages, if some form denotes the metaperson ‘speaker + hearer(s) + non-participant(s)’, then it denotes also the metaperson ‘speaker + hearer(s)’.
Standardized
IF a form denotes the metaperson ‘speaker + hearer(s) + non-participant(s)’, THEN it denotes also the metaperson ‘speaker + hearer(s)’.
Keywords
personal pronoun, person, 1st, 2nd, speaker, hearer, non-participant
Domain
inflection, syntax, lexicon
Type
implication
Status
achronic
Quality
statistical
Basis
400 world-wide distributed languages, see Sokolovskaja 1980: 98-99; Sokolovskaja surveyed systems of independent personal pronouns only.
Source
Sokolovskaja 1980: 94, U 36
Counterexamples
1. Languages having a tripartite opposition, that is distinguishing between three forms: inclusive, exclusive, and a neutral one, e.g. Kele (NW Bantu, Niger-Congo) (mentioned by Sokolovskaja); Miriwoong (Djeragan, Australian), for details see McGregor 19XX (EF).2. Languages distinguishing between a neutral (or unrestricted) form and a form referring to the restricted set of participants, either to inclusive or to exclusive: Gooniyandi (Bunaban, Australian) (mentioned by Testelec 1995: 582, for details see also McGregor 1990), Yaouré (Mande, Niger-Congo) (for details see Hopkins 1986: 192), Kunimaipa (Trans-New Guinea) (for details see Pence 1968, Geary 1977: 17-18) (p.c. M. Cysouw).

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP

    1. Sokolovskaja recognizes the following metapersons:’speaker’, ‘hearer’, ‘non-participant’, ‘speaker + hearer(s)’, ‘speaker + non-participant(s)’, ‘hearer(s) + non-participant(s)’, and ‘speaker + hearer(s) + non-participant(s).2. Cf. #1476.

    1. May 2020

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