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Universal 637:

Posted in Universals Archive

Universal 637:

Original
Variation in number to show degrees of respect or social distance is used in pronominal reference only to individuals, never to groups.
Standardized
IF there is any variation in number to show degrees of respect or social distance, THEN it is used in pronominal reference only to individuals, never to groups.
Keywords
personal pronoun, number, respect, social distance
Domain
inflection, semantics
Type
no genuine implication; rather: provided that
Status
Quality
absolute
Basis
more than one hundred languages in Head 1978
Source
Head 1978: 190,
Counterexamples

One Comment

  1. FP
    FP
    1. May 2020

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