Universal 238: rigid word order ⇒ Subj Predicate & VO & PrepN & NAdj & NRel & N PP

Universal 238: rigid word order ⇒ Subj Predicate & VO & PrepN & NAdj & NRel & N PP

Original

If constituent order is rigid, all determined constituents precede their respective determining constituents; in particular, subjects precede their predicates, verbs their complements (objects, prepositional phrases), prepositions their complements (noun phrases), head nouns their attributive adjectives, relative clauses, and complements (prepositional phrases).

Standardized

IF constituent order is rigid, THEN all determined constituents precede their respective determining constituents; in particular, subjects precede their predicates, verbs their complements (objects, prepositional phrases), prepositions their complements (noun phrases), head nouns their attributive adjectives, relative clauses, and complements (prepositional phrases).

Keywords

order, subject, predicate, verb, complement, object, PP, preposition, NP, head noun, attributive adjective, relative clause

Domain

syntax

Type

implication

Status

achronic

Quality

absolute

Basis

French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Latin, Breton, Gaelic, English, German, Swedish, Ancient Greek, Polish (all Indo-European), Arabic, Aramaic, Hebrew (all Semitic, Afro-Asiatic), Saami (Uralic), Chinese (Sino-Tibetan), Quechua (Andean)

Source

Beauzée 1767

Counterexamples