Universal 241: inflection ⇔ free order;
¬inflection ⇔ rigid order

Universal 241: inflection ⇔ free order;
¬inflection ⇔ rigid order

Original

If there is segmental relation marking, word order is free, and vice versa.
OR equivalently:
If there is no segmental relation marking, then word order is rigid, and vice versa.

Standardized

IF there is segmental relation marking, THEN word order is free, and vice versa.
IF there is no segmental relation marking, THEN word order is rigid, and vice versa.

Keywords

inflection, order

Domain

inflection, syntax

Type

mutual 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

Smith 1761 [1983]

Counterexamples