Subject side parameter

<p>The subject-side parameter, also called the specifier–head parameter, is a proposed <a href="/facts/Principles_and_parameters/34Bhvxnu">parameter</a> within <a href="/facts/Generative_linguistics/Pm1AMX5U">generative linguistics</a> which states that the position of the <a href="/facts/Subject_(grammar)/h5M1cQJ2">subject</a> may precede or follow the <a href="/facts/Head_(linguistics)/aBTxhyr9">head</a>. In the world's languages, Specifier-first order (i.e., subject-initial order) is more common than Specifier-final order (i.e., subject-final order). For example, in the World Atlas of Linguistic Structures (WALS), 76% of the languages in their sample Specifier-first (either <a href="/facts/Subject%E2%80%93object%E2%80%93verb/yqAybkWr">SOV</a> or <a href="/facts/Subject%E2%80%93verb%E2%80%93object/N0DS8deK">SVO</a>). In this respect, the subject-side parameter contrasts with the <a href="/facts/Head-directionality_parameter/mAlsSSc6">head-directionality parameter</a>. The latter, which classifies languages according to whether the head precedes or follows its complement, shows a roughly 50-50 split: in languages that have a fixed word order, about half have a Head-Complement order, and half have a Complement-Head order.
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Subject side parameter open-in-new

Subject side parameter