Language Universals

Languages in different parts of the world are extremely different, but also similar.

• True

• False

Language universlas refers to what human languages have in common.

• True

• False

Example of implicational universals

• Subjects tend strongly to precede objects.

• All languages have vowels and consonants.

• If a language has voiced fricatives, it also has unvoiced fricatives, but not necessarily the other way round

• Lexicalization

It refers to the example that if a language has property A, then it also has property B, but not necessarily the other way round.

• Absolute universal

• Implicational universal

• Statistical universal

• Lexicalization

It refers to properties found in all languages.

• Absolute universals

• Statistical universals

• Implicational Universals

• Lexicalization

It reflects important trends that are found in a predominant part of the languages of the world, but not necessarily in all.

• Absolute universals

• Statistical universals

• Implicational universals

• Lexicalization

Example of absolute universal.

• All languages have vowels and consonants.

• Subjects tend strongly to precede objects.

• If a language has voiced fricatives, it also has unvoiced fricatives, but not necessarily the other way round.

All (or at least nearly all) languages of the world also make a distinction between nouns and verbs.

• Universals of speech sounds

• Universals of word clases

• Phonotactic universals

All languages distinguish between vowels and consonants

• Universals of speech sounds

• Universals of word classes

• Phonotactical universals

All languages that allow VC, also allow CVC and V, as well as the universal CV.

• Speech sounds universals

• Universals of word classes

• phonotactical universals