[Lingtyp] Adjective word order cognitive universal

[tangzhengda]

DEAR LINGTYP,




>>> Is there anyone on this list that know of an example of Adj-Num-Dem-N being the most common order in a language?


In Chinese Putonghua, both Adj-[Num-Cl]-N and Adj-[Dem-Cl]-N are at least equally common compared to the order where Adj. is the closest to N, and in spoken Chinese they are dominant. The ordering of Adj-[Num-Cl]-[Dem-Cl]-N, unusual though, is also possible. The example:  Hong-hong-de san-kuang na-zhong pingguo (red-REDUP-ATTR three-basket that-kind apple; Lit. 'three basket of that kind of apples'). 





Jeremy Tang
Institute of Linguistics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences,
No.5 Jianguomennei Dajie, Beijing, China; 100732

At 2019-10-13 12:28:51, "Dryer, Matthew" <dryer at buffalo.edu> wrote:


See

 

·         On the order of demonstrative, numeral, adjective, and noun

·         Matthew S. Dryer

·         Language

·         Linguistic Society of America

·         Volume 94, Number 4, December 2018

 

 

From: Lingtyp <lingtyp-bounces at listserv.linguistlist.org> on behalf of Hedvig Skirgård <hedvig.skirgard at gmail.com>
Date: Sunday, October 13, 2019 at 12:03 AM
To: "<LINGTYP at LISTSERV.LINGUISTLIST.ORG>" <LINGTYP at listserv.linguistlist.org>
Subject: [Lingtyp] Adjective word order cognitive universal

 

Dear LINGTYP, 

 

In a recent paper on word order and cognitive universals, Alexander Martin, Theeraporn Ratitamkul, Klaus Abels, David Adger and Jennifer Culbertson argue that there are certain cognitive constraints when it comes to the placement of numerals, demonstratives and adjectives in a noun phrase. 

 

"First, the most common orders place adjectives closest to the noun, then numerals, then demonstratives (e.g., N-Adj-Num-Dem). Second, exceptions to this are restricted to post-nominal position (e.g., N-Dem-Num-Adj, but not, for instance, Adj-Num-Dem-N)."

 

https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/lingvan.2019.5.issue-1/lingvan-2018-0072/lingvan-2018-0072.xml

 

Is there anyone on this list that know of an example of Adj-Num-Dem-N being the most common order in a language? 

 

Caveats for the existence of "adjectives" as a category of course, anything that is functionally similar enough will do. (Same for the others.)

 

Thanks!

 

Med vänliga hälsningar,

Hedvig Skirgård

 

PhD Candidate

The Wellsprings of Linguistic Diversity

ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language

School of Culture, History, and Language
College of Asia and the Pacific

The Australian National University

Website

 

P.S. If you have multiple email addresses, I kindly ask you to just use one with corresponding with me. Email threads and invites to get confusing otherwise. I will only email you from my Gmail, even if other email addresses re-direct emails to them to my Gmail (ANU etc).

 
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