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Universal 1873:

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 1873:

Original
Implicational patterns in the cross-linguistic coding of subordination:
(a) If there is elimination of Aspect, then there is elimination of Tense and Mood.
(b) If there is elimination of agreement, then there is elimination of Tense, Aspect, or Mood.
(c) If there is case/adposition marking, then there is elimination of Tense, Aspect, or Mood.
(d) If there is possessor/oblique coding, the there is elimination of Tense, Aspect, Mood or Agreement.
Standardized
In the coding of subordination vis-a-vis that of non-subordinate clauses:
(a) If there is elimination of Aspect, then there is elimination of Tense and Mood.
(b) If there is elimination of agreement, then there is elimination of Tense, Aspect, or Mood.
(c) If there is case/adposition marking, then there is elimination of Tense, Aspect, or Mood.
(d) If there is possessor/oblique coding, the there is elimination of Tense, Aspect, Mood or Agreement.
Keywords
clause combining, subordination, tense, aspect, mood, agreement, case, adposition, possessor, oblique
Domain
syntax, inflection
Type
implication
Status
achronic
Quality
statistical
Basis
Acehnese (W Malayo-Polynesian), Ainu (isolate), Akan (Kwa, Niger-Congo), Arabic (Gulf) (Semitic, Afro-Asiatic), Arapesh (Torricelli), Banda Linda (Adamawa-Ubangi, Niger-Congo), Barasano (Tucanoan), Basque (isolate), Berbice Dutch Creole, Borana (Cushitic, Afro-Asiatic), Burushaski (isolate), Canela-Krahô (Ge), Mandarin Chinese (Sino-Tibetan), Diegueño (Hokan), Djapu (?), Ancient Egyptian (Semitic, Afro-Asiatic), Finnish (Finno-Ugric, Uralic), Fula (Atlantic, Niger-Congo), Gimira (Omotic, Afro-Asiatic), Classical Greek (Greek, IE), West Greenlandic (Eskimo, Eskimo-Aleut), Gumbaynggir, Guugu Yimidhirr (both Pama-Nyungan), Hixkaryana (Carib), Hittite (Anatolian, Indo-Hittite), Hmong Njua (Hmong Mien), Ho (Munda), Hurrian (isolate), Italian (Romance, IE), Jacaltec (Mayan), Kanuri (Saharan, Nilo-Saharan), Karimojong (Eastern Sudanic, Nilo-Saharan), Kayardild (Pama-Nyungan), Khasi (Mon-Khmer), Kobon (Trans-New Guinea), Kolokumi (Ijoid, Niger-Congo), Krongo (Kordofanian, Niger-Congo), Lango (Nilotic, Nilo-Saharan), Lezgian (NE Caucasian), Limbu (Tibeto-Burman), Makian (West) (West Papuan), Manarayi (Gunwingguan, Australian), Maori (Oceanic, E Malayo-Polynesian), Maricopa (Hokan), Muna (Sulawesi, W Malayo-Polynesian), Nama (Khoisan), Nandi (Bantu, Niger-Congo), Ngbaka (Adamawa-Ubangi, Niger-Congo), Nung (Tibeto-Burman), Piwan (Formosan, Austronesian), Paumarí (Arauan), Pero (Chadic, Afro-Asiatic), Pirahã (Mura), Punjabi (Indo-Aryan, IE), Huallaga Quechua (Andean), Resigaro (Arawak), Retuarã (Tucanoan), Sawu (Malayo-Polynesian), Shipibo-Conibo (Panoan), Shoshone (Tümpisa Panamint) (Uto-Aztecan), Slave (Na-Dene), Songhay (Nilo-Saharan), Sumerian (isolate), Supyire (Gur, Niger-Congo), Tagalog (W Malayo-Polynesian), Tamazight (Berber, Afro-Asiatic), Tamil (Dravidian), Tanghkul Naga (Tibeeto-Burman), Tarascan (isolate), Tok Pisin (English based, Creole), Turkish (Turkic, Altaic), Tzutujil (Mayan), Ute (Uto-Aztecan), Vai (Mande, Niger-Congo), Vietnamese (Mon-Khmer), Wargamay (Pama-Nyungan), Wayapi (Tupi), Yidi (Pama-Nyungan), Yoruba (Benue-Congo, Niger-Congo)
Source
Cristofaro 2000
Counterexamples

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP

    Cf. ##1879, 1880, 1881.

    1. May 2020

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