Mam
Mam puts its words in verb-subject-object order (VSO), one of only 95 with that basic order among the 1,376 languages WALS codes for this feature.
On Weight-Sensitive Stress, WALS codes Mam as “Combined: Both Right-edge and unbounded”, a value held by 8 of the 500 languages coded, Alamblak and Iraqw among them.
Scored by how often each of its values recurs in the atlas, Mam has the least common profile of the 409 languages compared on this measure.
On Distance Contrasts in Demonstratives, WALS codes Mam as “No distance contrast”, a value held by 7 of the 234 languages coded, French and German among them.
Contrast Mam with Jakaltek or with any other language
Uncommon values
Values that fewer than one in ten of the coded languages share with Mam, rarest first.
- Position of Polar Question ParticlesQuestion particle in second position in sentence52 of 884
- Subtypes of Asymmetric Standard NegationA/Fin and A/Cat21 of 297
- Definite ArticlesNo definite article but indefinite article45 of 620
- Coding of Nominal PluralityPlural clitic81 of 1,066
- Order of Adjective and NounNo dominant order110 of 1,367
- Weight Factors in Weight-Sensitive Stress SystemsCombined: two of the above factors determine weight42 of 500
- Reciprocal ConstructionsThere are no non-iconic reciprocal constructions.16 of 175
- Prefixing vs. Suffixing in Inflectional MorphologyModerate preference for prefixing94 of 969
Inside the Mayan family
Mam matches the most frequent Mayan value on 30 of the 42 features where at least three other members of the family are coded (71%). Among the 4 Mayan languages profiled here, that rate ranks second from the top.
| Feature | Mam | Most relatives |
|---|---|---|
| Reduplication | No productive reduplication | Productive full and partial reduplication (9 of 9) |
Closest profiles
Languages that share the most coded values with Mam; the count is out of the features both languages are coded for.
The rest of the profile
WALS codes Mam for 48 of the 144 profile features used on this site. The remaining 36 are listed here, grouped by topic; within each group the value Mam shares with the fewest languages comes first.
Sounds 2
| Feature | Value | Languages sharing it |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed Stress Locations | No fixed stress (mostly weight-sensitive stress) | 220 of 502 |
| The Velar Nasal | No velar nasal | 235 of 469 |
Nouns and pronouns 6
| Feature | Value | Languages sharing it |
|---|---|---|
| Pronominal and Adnominal Demonstratives | Different stems | 37 of 201 |
| Occurrence of Nominal Plurality | Plural in all nouns, always optional | 55 of 291 |
| Indefinite Articles | Numeral for 'one' is used as indefinite article | 112 of 534 |
| Position of Pronominal Possessive Affixes | Possessive prefixes | 255 of 902 |
| Ordinal Numerals | First, two-th, three-th | 110 of 321 |
| Position of Case Affixes | Neither case affixes nor adpositional clitics | 379 of 1,031 |
Noun phrases 1
| Feature | Value | Languages sharing it |
|---|---|---|
| Nominal and Verbal Conjunction | Nominal and verbal conjunction are largely identical | 161 of 301 |
Verbs: tense, mood, evidence 7
| Feature | Value | Languages sharing it |
|---|---|---|
| Position of Tense-Aspect Affixes | Tense-aspect prefixes | 153 of 1,131 |
| Coding of Evidentiality | Verbal affix or clitic | 131 of 418 |
| The Prohibitive | Normal imperative + special negative | 182 of 496 |
| Semantic Distinctions of Evidentiality | Only indirect evidentials | 166 of 418 |
| The Morphological Imperative | Second singular and second plural | 292 of 548 |
| Imperative-Hortative Systems | The language has neither a maximal nor a minimal system | 201 of 375 |
| The Optative | Inflectional optative absent | 271 of 319 |
Word order 10
| Feature | Value | Languages sharing it |
|---|---|---|
| Order of Subject and Verb | Subject follows verb (VS) | 194 of 1,496 |
| Position of Interrogative Phrases in Content Questions | Interrogative phrases obligatorily initial | 264 of 902 |
| Order of Genitive and Noun | Noun-genitive (NGen) | 468 of 1,249 |
| Order of Numeral and Noun | Numeral precedes noun (NumN) | 479 of 1,154 |
| Order of Object, Oblique, and Verb | Verb-object-oblique (VOX) | 210 of 500 |
| Order of Adposition and Noun Phrase | Prepositions | 511 of 1,184 |
| Order of Demonstrative and Noun | Demonstrative word precedes noun (DemN) | 542 of 1,225 |
| Order of Object and Verb | Object follows verb (VO) | 705 of 1,518 |
| Order of Adverbial Subordinator and Clause | Initial subordinator word | 398 of 659 |
| Order of Relative Clause and Noun | Relative clause follows noun (NRel) | 579 of 824 |
Simple clauses 9
| Feature | Value | Languages sharing it |
|---|---|---|
| Productivity of the Antipassive Construction | productive | 24 of 186 |
| Antipassive Constructions | Oblique patient | 30 of 194 |
| Predicative Adjectives | Predicative adjectives have verbal encoding | 151 of 386 |
| Negative Morphemes | Negative particle | 502 of 1,157 |
| Symmetric and Asymmetric Standard Negation | Symmetric and asymmetric standard negation: Type SymAsy | 130 of 297 |
| Ditransitive Constructions: The Verb 'Give' | Indirect-object construction | 189 of 378 |
| Zero Copula for Predicate Nominals | Zero copula is impossible | 211 of 386 |
| Polar Questions | Question particle | 585 of 955 |
| Nominal and Locational Predication | Different | 269 of 386 |
Complex sentences 1
| Feature | Value | Languages sharing it |
|---|---|---|
| 'Want' Complement Subjects | The complement subject is expressed overtly | 72 of 283 |