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1. May 2020
FP
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Universal 1561: verb-initial ⇒ ¬ overt copula

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 1561: verb-initial ⇒ ¬ overt copula

Original
Verb-initial languages normally have no overt copula.
Standardized
IF word order is verb-initial, THEN there is no overt copula.
Keywords
order, verb-initial, copula
Domain
syntax
Type
implication
Status
achronic
Quality
absolute
Basis
unknown
Source
unpublished statements of Keenan’s, reproduced in D. Payne 1990: 15
Counterexamples
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One Comment

  1. FP
    FP

    Cf. claim #1543 about subject-final langugages, which are all of VOS order, according to Keenan’s survey (#1516): Subject-final languages generally do not have overt copulas.

    1. May 2020

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