Greenbergs Universals in Magahi language

Universal 1. In declarative sentences with nominal subject and object, the dominant order is
almost always one in which the subject precedes the object
h okr dek(li
I.1p.sg.nom him.3p.sg.acc see.past.simple.1.

I saw him
in magahi subject preceds object.thus this universal is valid in my language..

Universal 4. With overwhelmingly greater than chance frequency, languages with normal
SOV order are postpositional.
kitb tebl p k(k(l h.
book.nom table.loc on.postposition keep.v .pas be.pre
the book is kept on table
Magahi has SOV word order and above data shows that Magahi is a postpositional language

Universal 7. If in a language with dominant SOV order, there is no alternative basic order, or
only OSV as the alternative, then all adverbial modifiers of the verb likewise precede the verb.
(This is the rigid subtype of III.)
`(or tej d.r h.
horse.nom fast.adv. run.pre be.pre.sim.
horse runs fast
This universal is also valid in Magahi language.

Universal 12. If a language has dominant order VSO in declarative sentences, it always puts
interrogative words or phrases first in interrogative word questions; if it has dominant order
SOV in declarative sentences, there is never such an invariant rule.
to~ ki: k qle qi:~
you.2p.sg what.intro do.pre.cont be.pre.2p

what are you doing
Magahi has dominant order SOV in declarative sentences and its introgrative words donot comes
first.

Universal 16. In languages with dominant order VSO, an inflected auxiliary always precedes
the main verb. In languages with dominant order SOV, an inflected auxiliary always follows
the main verb.
r suttl h.
ram.pn.nom sleep.pre.per be.pre.3p.sg
this universal is also true

Universal 20. When any or all of the items (demonstrative, numeral, and descriptive
adjective) precede the noun, they are always found in that order. If they follow, the order is
either the same or its exact opposite.
wo tino lrk bri: bdm+ h.
those.demonstrative three.num boy.nom very bad be.pre
those three boys are very bad
In Magahi demonstrative, numeral, and descriptive adjective precede the noun, they are always
found in that order.
Universal 27. If a language is exclusively suffixing, it is postpositional; if it is exclusively prefixing, it is
prepositional.
magahi is not exclusively suffixing language.. but still postpositional
kitb tebl p k(k(l h.
book.nom table.loc on.postposition keep.v .pas be.pre
the book is kept on table



Universal 28. If both the derivation and inflection follow the root, or they both precede the root, the
derivation is always between the root and the inflection.
hm okr se bti:liy
I.1p.sg.nom he.acc.3p.sg pre talk.past.sim
I talked to him
this universal is valid in my language.

Universal 29. If a language has inflection, it always has derivation.
hm bti:yb.
i.1p.sg.nom talk.fut.1p.sg

bt - btiya
speech.noun talk.verb

lt - ltiya
leg.noun hit from leg.verb
above example shows ,it is true in my language.

Universal 30. If the verb has categories of person-number or if it has categories of gender, it always
has tense-mode categories.
hm t(k jyb.
I.1p.sg.nom tired go.1p.sg.fut

I will be tired
to t(k `eli:~
you.1p.sg.nom tired go.2p.sg.pre

you are tired
wu t(k `el
he.3p.sg.nom tired go.3p.sg.pre
he is tired


Universal 34. No language has a trial number unless it has a dual. No language has a dual unless it
has a plural.
Hindi language has not a trail number and it has not a dual too.

Universal 39. Where morphemes of both number and case are present and both follow or both
precede the noun base, the expression of number almost always comes between the noun base and
the expression of case.
h bcw sb ke dek(li:y
i.1p.sg.nom child.acc pl post see.past.1p.sg

I saw children
Universal 41. If in a language the verb follows both the nominal subject and nominal object as the
dominant order, the language almost always has a case system.
h bcw sb ke dek(li:y
i.1p.sg.nom child.acc pl post see.past.1p.sg

I saw children
this universal is valid in my language.

Universal 42. All languages have pronominal categories involving at least three persons and two
numbers.
q to wo
i.1p.sg you.2p.sg he/she.3p.sg

h , tor , okr
my your his

h, q lo`
I1p.sg we.1p.pl