Universal 234: inflectional expansion: number inflection ⇒ case inflection ⇒ gender inflection inflectional reduction: gender inflection ⇒ case inflection ⇒ number inflection
Original
In times of inflectional expansion, if there is number inflection, there is also case inflection; and if there is case inflection, there is also gender inflection. In times of inflectional reduction, if there is gender inflection, there is also case inflection; and if there is gender inflection, there is also number inflection.
Standardized
In times of inflectional expansion, IF there is number inflection, THEN there is also case inflection; and IF there is case inflection, THEN there is also gender inflection. In times of inflectional reduction, IF there is gender inflection, THEN there is also case inflection; and IF there is gender inflection, THEN there is also number inflection.
Keywords
number, case, gender
Domain
inflection
Type
implication
Status
diachronic (see Comments)
Quality
absolute
Basis
Ancient and Modern Greek (both Greek), French, Italian, Latin (all Italic), English, “Gothic” (both Germanic), Classical Armenian (Armenian), Hebrew (Semitic, Afro-Asiatic)
Is actually not a developmental law, but a universal implication, holding only for (all) languages in a particular stage of their evolution.