Dictionary entry
linguistic universal
/liŋˈɡwistik ˌjuːniˈvəːsəl/
noun
语言共性；语言普遍性
a feature, pattern, or property that is shared by all human languages
语言共通性
In use
The ability to learn language is often called a linguistic universal.
In today's lecture, the professor gave an example of a linguistic universal.
Some researchers study whether a particular grammar rule is a linguistic universal.
[something] is a linguistic universal
表示某种特征被视为所有语言的共有属性。
The ability to form questions is a linguistic universal.
构成疑问句的能力是一种语言共通性。
linguistic universals of [domain]
指明特定领域的语言共性。
Linguistic universals of color terms have been studied extensively.
颜色词的语言共通性已被广泛研究。
there are linguistic universals
There are linguistic universals that apply to all human languages.
存在适用于所有人类语言的语言共通性。
Common mistakes
Linguistic universals is a key topic in linguistic research.Linguistic universal is a key topic in linguistic research.
“语言共通性”是一个抽象概念，通常作为不可数名词使用，不应加复数。
Universal linguistic is an important concept in language study.Linguistic universal is an important concept in language study.
“linguistic universal”是固定短语，其中“linguistic”修饰“universal”，词序不可颠倒。
Connections
Confusing words
- universal grammar
- 普遍语法 · 普遍语法是一种理论假设，指人类语言共有的先天语法原则；而语言共通性指的是实际存在于所有语言中的共同特征，不涉及先天理论。
- language universal
- 语言普遍性 · 语言普遍性与语言共通性基本同义，但'语言普遍性'更常见于非专业语境，而'语言共通性'是语言学专业术语。
- linguistic relativity
- 语言相对性 · 语言相对性强调语言之间的差异性及其对思维的影响，与语言共通性强调的共同特征相反。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT.