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Universal 623:

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 623:

Original
If a language has distributive-share quantifier words, it has non-configurational NPs, and does not distinguish between nouns of low and high countability preference.
Standardized
IF there are distributive-share quantifier words, THEN NPs are non-configurational, and nouns of low and high countability preference are indistinguishable.
Keywords
quantifier word, distributive, non-configurational NP
Domain
syntax, semantics
Type
implication
Status
achronic
Quality
absolute
Basis
Batak, Bontoc, Indonesian, Tagalog (all W. Malayo-Polynesian, Austronesian), Dyirbal (Pama-Nyungan), Gã (Kwa, Niger-Congo), Georgian (S. Caucasian), Hungarian (Ugric, Uralic), Maricopa (Hokan), Turkish (Turkic, Altaic), Japanese (Japanese-Ryukyuan), Latin, Portuguese, Rumanian, Spanish , Russian, English (all Indo-European), Hebrew (Semitic, Afro-Asiatic)
Source
Gil 1992: 324, U6
Counterexamples

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP
    1. May 2020

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