36.1682, Qs: Syntactic universals predictions

[The LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-36-1682. Thu May 29 2025. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 36.1682, Qs: Syntactic universals predictions

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Date: 27-May-2025
From: Patrik Austin [patrik.austin at gmail.com]
Subject: Syntactic universals predictions


I have an important question for the linguistic community. Can you say
whether the scorecard on page 18 in the linked article produces the
correct prediction of the order of object, subject, and verb in
cross-linguistic data?
https://lingbuzz.net/lingbuzz/008892/current.pdf?_s=PI4bhcyX_wqspQSb
Quote:
The novel prediction (Table 2) is generated by the following four
rules:
(i) Each position in the transitive clause assigns a mathematical
value for S or O.
(ii) This value systematically decreases from left to right.
(iii) If SO, the value is positive.
(iv) If OS, the value is negative.
 
Order   Points for position     Total
- SO -  +2      +1      +0
SOV     S       O       (V)     +3
SVO     S       (V)     O       +2
VSO     (V)     S       O       +1
- OS -  -2      -1      -0
VOS     (V)     O       S       -1
OVS     O       (V)     S       -2
OSV     O       S       (V)     -3

Linguistic Field(s): General Linguistics
                     Syntax
                     Typology




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