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Universal 1938:

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 1938:

Original
I know of no language which has one verb stem to indicate giving to the 1st or 3rd person and a suppletive stem with the meaning of giving to the 2nd person.
Standardized
When there are suppletive stems for a verb ‘to give’ determined by the person of the recipient, the opposition will always be 1st vs. 2nd&3rd person or 1st&2nd vs. 3rd person, never 1st&3rd vs. 2nd person.
Keywords
suppletion, verb, recipient, person, 1, 2, 3
Domain
inflection
Type
unconditional
Status
achronic
Quality
absolute
Basis
unspecified
Source
Greenberg 1993: 12
Counterexamples

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP

    1. Cf. #1951.2. Stem suppletion of the verb ‘give’ determined by the person of the recipient, though once believed rare, along with any verbal suppletion by person, is shown in Comrie 2001 to be rather widespread. Most common appears to be suppletion by 1st and 2nd vs. 3rd person; less common by 1st vs. 2nd and 3rd person.UNIVERSAL:What Comrie did not find attested is suppletion of ‘give’ by 2nd vs. 1st and 3rd person of the recipient.

    1. May 2020

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