Universal 598: VO ⇒ Person & Number inflection v. ¬inflection

Universal 598: VO ⇒ Person & Number inflection v. ¬inflection

Original

VO languages are evenly divided between those with no inflection and those with the full array of inflection.

Standardized

IF basic order is VO, THEN the chances are equal that there is person-number inflection or that there isn’t.

Keywords

order, VO, verb, inflection, person, number

Domain

inflection, syntax

Type

implication

Status

achronic

Quality

absolute

Basis

50 languages of Bybee 1985b sample; see Bybee 1985b: 215-6

Source

Bybee 1985b: 46-47

Counterexamples