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Universal 510:

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 510:

Original
When number agreement between the noun and verb is suspended and the rule is based on order, the case is always one in which the verb precedes and the verb is in the singular.
Standardized
Whenever there is number agreement between an NP and the verb and such agreement can be suspended depending on the order of NP and verb, it can only be suspended when the verb precedes the NP and the default number form of the verb is always singular.
Keywords
agreement, number, singular, verb, order
Domain
inflection, syntax
Type
no genuine implication; rather: provided that
Status
achronic
Quality
absolute
Basis
30 languages of Greenberg 1963 sample
Source
Greenberg 1963: 94, #33
Counterexamples

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP
    1. May 2020

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