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Universal 584:

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 584:

Original
If degree of complexity in phonetic form is systematically correlated with degree of complexity in meaning, the former always pertains to the number of phonetic segments, rather than to the number of (positively specified) phonetic features. That is to say, semantically more complex morphemes may be longer than semantically simpler ones but they will not systematically contain more complex sound types.
Standardized
Where phonetic complexity is systematically correlated with semantic complexity, the former will be measured in terms of segments rather than features; therefore, semantically more complex morphemes may be longer than semantically simpler ones but they will not systematically contain more complex sound types.
Keywords
morpheme, complexity
Domain
phonology, semantics
Type
no genuine implication; rather: provided that
Status
achronic
Quality
absolute
Basis
unspecified
Source
Moravcsik 1980: 26
Counterexamples

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP
    1. May 2020

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