Universal 1922:

Original: If more than one modifier occurs before the noun, the order is always Dem < Num < Adj.
Standardized: When more than one modifier occurs before the noun, the order is always Dem < Num < Adj.
Keywords: order, noun, modifier, demonstrative, numeral, adjective
Domain: syntax
Type: unconditional
Status: achronic
Quality: statistical
Basis: 46 language sample collected by Croft & students: English, German, Norwegian, Russian, Finnish, Syrian Arabic, Thai, Mandarin, Palauan, Turkish, Korean, Japanese, Alamblak, Quechua, French, Italian, Spanish, Mam, Farsi, Abkhaz, Kiowa, Hualapai, Lahu, Yidiny, Irish, Welsh, Hebrew, Ute, Yoruba, Igbo, Turkana, Lamang, Kusaiean, W. Greenlandic, Amele, Manam, Babungo, Woleaian; and data drawn from Heine 1980: Sampur, Gabra, Luo, Lagali, Noni, Rendille, Aghem
Source: Croft & Deligianni 2001

Counterexamples: The only exception to this generalization is an alternative word order in Alamblak (Sepik, “Papuan”) that otherwise conforms to the generalization and other possible orders in Korean (isolate) and Quechua (Andean).

One Comment

FP

If more than one modifier occurs after the noun, however, virtually any order appears to be possible as the basic order of modifiers (Croft & Deligianni 2001). But are Dem and Num “modifiers”? What about adjective ordering if there is more than one? Also less constrained post- than pre-nominally?

1. May 2020

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