Universal 1880: 1st vs. 2nd/3rd person split: future > present > past

Universal 1880: 1st vs. 2nd/3rd person split: future > present > past

Original

If a language has different tense categories and shows a split between 1st versus 2nd/3rd person marking in one of these categories, it is most probably that this split will occur in the future tense.

Standardized

When there are different tense categories and there is a split between 1st versus 2nd/3rd person in one of these categories, IF such a split occurs in tenses other than future, THEN it will also occur in the future.

Keywords

person, 1, 2, 3, split, tense, future, present, past

Domain

inflection, syntax

Type

implication

Status

achronic

Quality

statistical

Basis

languages mentioned in Helmbrecht 1999

Source

Helmbrecht 1999: 291

Counterexamples