Universal 552:
- Original
- If there is variation in Noun Quantifier order depending on the identity of the numeral, one of the two orders is used with a continuous series of numbers beginning with ‘one’, or ‘one’ and the bases of the system are used with one of the orders. If there is free variation with a particular numeral ‘x’, the next higher is also in free variation or is in the opposite order to that of ‘x’ with the noun.
- Standardized
- IF there is free variation in Noun Quantifier order depending on the identity of the numeral, THEN
one of the two orders is used with a continuous series of numbers beginning with ‘one’, or ‘one’ and the bases of the system are used with one of the orders.IF there is free variation in Noun Quantifier order with a particular numeral ‘x’, THEN
the next higher is also in free variation or is in the opposite order to that of ‘x’ with the noun. - Keywords
- numeral, order, noun, quantitative
- Domain
- syntax
- Type
- no genuine implication; rather: provided that
- Status
- achronic but presumably diachronically motivated
- Quality
- absolute
- Basis
- 56 languages mentioned in Greenberg 1978a
- Source
- Greenberg 1978a: 284 (#46)
- Counterexamples
1. The reason for specification of bases in the system as an alternative is based on a very small number of instances like Igbo (Benue-Congo) in which the order is Noun Quantifier, except for ‘one’, ‘twenty’ and ‘four hundred’.2. Diachronically, the generalization holds that it is the lowest and most unmarked numerals (sometimes ‘one’ alone) which show the earlier order (Greenberg 1978a: 285).