Universal 1555:

Universal 1555:

Original

In verb-initial languages, sentential objects always follow the subject and are very commonly finite as opposed to the more usual non-finite/nominalized treatment they receive in verb-final languages.

Standardized

IF basic order is verb-initial, THEN sentential objects always follow the subject and are very commonly finite.

Keywords

order, verb-initial, sentential object, finiteness, nominalization

Domain

inflection, syntax

Type

implication

Status

achronic

Quality

statistical

Basis

unknown

Source

unpublished statements of Keenan’s, reproduced in D.Payne 1990: 15

Counterexamples