Skip to content

Universal 570: definite article is grammaticalized in subject NPs ⇒ definite article is grammaticalized in direct object NPs ⇒ definite article is grammaticalized in prepositionally marked NPs

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 570: definite article is grammaticalized in subject NPs ⇒ definite article is grammaticalized in direct object NPs ⇒ definite article is grammaticalized in prepositionally marked NPs

Original
The definite article is not grammaticalized (made obligatory) in prepositionally marked NPs unless it is also grammaticalized in (direct) object NPs; and it is not grammaticalized in (direct) object NPs unless it is also grammaticalized in subject NPs.
Standardized
IF the definite article is grammaticalized in subject NPs, THEN it is also grammaticalized in direct object NPs.
IF the definite article is grammaticalized in direct object NPs, THEN it is also grammaticalized in prepositionally marked NPs.
Keywords
article, grammaticalization, PP, direct object NP, subject NP
Domain
inflection, syntax
Type
implicational hierarchy
Status
diachronic
Quality
absolute
Basis
unspecified
Source
Renzi 1992: 161-176
Counterexamples

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP
    1. May 2020

Comments are closed.