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Universal 769:
Original
In a given language the number of voiceless primary fricatives is highly likely to be greater than the number of voiced ones.
Standardized
The number of voiceless primary fricatives is highly likely to be greater than the number of voiced ones.
Keywords
fricative, voice
Domain
phonology
Type
implication
Status
achronic
Quality
statistical
Basis
317 language sample from Nartey 1979
Source
Nartey 1979 : 8, cited also in Lass 1984 : 154
Counterexamples
Igbo (Benue-Congo, Niger-Congo), Kpelle, Tura (both Mande, Niger-Congo);Mazahua, Mazatec, Mixtec (all Oto-Manguean);Angas, Margi (both Chadic, Afro-Asiatic);Evenki (Tungus, Altaic), Turkish (Turkic, Altaic);Saek (Daic, Austroasiatic), Vietnamese (Mon-Khmer, Austroasiatic); Georgian (S. Caucasian);Kunjen (Pama-Nyungan); Cheremis (Volgaic, Uralic);Chukchi (Chuckhi-Kamchatkan); Aleut (Eskimo-Aleut) (Nartey 1979: 8);Huajuapan Mixtec, Coatzospan Mixtec, Cuitlatec (all Oto-Manguean) (Yasugi 1995: 68)
Primary fricatives are those speech sounds produced by the narrowing of two articulators so as to produce a turbulent air stream. (This excludes [h]). (Nartey 1979: 3).