Universal 917:

Original: Consistent OV languages are consistently left-branching (placing phrasal constituents before nonphrasal ones) while consistent VO languages are consistently right-branching.
Standardized: IF OV is a basic order, THEN there will be left-branching.
IF VO is a basic order, THEN there will be right-branching.
Keywords: order, VO, OV, left-branching, right-branching
Domain: syntax
Type: implication
Status: achronic
Quality: statistical
Basis: 316-language sample in Dryer 1988a and 345-language sample in Dryer 1988b
Source: Dryer 1988a: 191, Dryer 1988b: 98

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