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Universal 295:

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 295:

Original
In all languages: if there is VSO, SVO, SOV, an auxiliary verb, which can occupy the position before and after the main verb, and the adjective has categories of gender and case,
then there is a distant location of adjective and noun, which the adjective refers to.
Standardized
IF (i) basic order is VSO, SVO, or SOV, (ii) an auxiliary verb can occur before and after the main verb, and (iii) the adjective inflects for gender and case, THEN adjective and noun need not be adjacent.
Keywords
order, VSO, SVO, SOV, auxiliary, verb, noun, adjective, case, gender
Domain
inflection, syntax
Type
implication
Status
achronic
Quality
absolute
Basis
unspecified
Source
see Vardul’ 1969, referring to Rozdestvenskij
Counterexamples
German, if Aux-V and V-Aux alternation in main and subordinate clauses is relevant.

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP
    1. May 2020

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