Universal 355: (o-V-s) & ¬(s-V-o) ⇒ dominant order is SOV
Original
In the languages where the verb agrees with subject and object, if there are forms like o-V-s, and there are no forms like s-V-o, then in this language the dominant word order is the order with the final position of the predicate (SOV).
Standardized
Whenever there is verb agreement with subject and object, IF the orderings of agreement markers on verbs include o-V-s but not s-V-o, THEN basic word order is SOV.
The s-V-o and o-V-s orderings have an opposite influence on word order (##355, 356). In 16 languages where these orderings coexist, the distribution of word orders is middle-statistical (Kozinsky 1981).[Is “middle-statistical” = “random”? ]
The s-V-o and o-V-s orderings have an opposite influence on word order (##355, 356). In 16 languages where these orderings coexist, the distribution of word orders is middle-statistical (Kozinsky 1981).[Is “middle-statistical” = “random”? ]