Correspondence Correlation of Word Order: A Case Study on RelN and NRel

Abstract

This paper introduces a new quantitative approach to word order typology, centering on the arrangement of the relative clause (Rel) and the head noun (N) as the foundational element. Using a sample of 17 different orders, we calculate conditional percentages – called “linearization correspondences” – that link RelN and NRel to the preferred orders of other constructions (such as OV/VO, subordinator placement, and adjective-noun order) and vice versa. From these calculations, we derive linear, inverse, total, and partial correspondences, producing a comprehensive hierarchy of co-occurring orders. We argue that diachronic change reflects a balance between a bridge effect, which facilitates RelN ↔ NRel shifts, and a mirror-image effect, which stabilizes correlated clusters – a tension illustrated by patterns in both Chinese and cross-linguistic contexts and further examined through a case study of Chinese in the Introduction and Section 5. Additionally, the method applies beyond relatives to head-modifier orders, where it reveals strong correlations. The findings shed light on pathways of grammaticalization and provide predictive constraints for typological universals, while also offering a replicable analytical toolkit for investigating word order evolution across human languages.