Universal 889: OV ⇒ suffixes;
VO ⇒ prefixes

Universal 889: OV ⇒ suffixes;
VO ⇒ prefixes

Original

OV languages tend to have suffixes and VO languages prefixes.

Standardized

IF the word order is OV, THEN there are suffixes.
IF the word order is VO, THEN there are prefixes.

Keywords

VO, OV, order, suffix, prefix

Domain

morphology, syntax

Type

implication

Status

achronic

Quality

statistical

Basis

languages in Lehmann 1973, Lehmann 1974, Lehmann 1978 a-d

Source

W.P.Lehmann 1973, W.P.Lehmann 1974, W.P.Lehmann 1978 a-d, as summarized in Plank 1996, Plank 1998

Counterexamples

Bella Coola (=Nuxalk)(Salish): VO & suffixes;Tumpisa Shoshone (=Panamint) (Uto-Aztecan): OV & prefixes;Ahousat Nuuchahnulth (=Nootka) (Wakashan): VO & exclusive suffixing (Mithun 1999)