What are language universals?

Language universals refer to the common characteristics that can be identified across all human languages, demonstrating fundamental principles in how languages function. These universals may take the form of common grammatical structures, basic syntactic rules, or shared phonetic elements that appear in varied linguistic contexts around the world. The study of language universals aims to highlight the underlying cognitive and communicative processes that are common to all humans, suggesting that despite the diversity of languages, there are innate patterns and features that unite them.

In contrast, unique features of different languages pertain to the specific traits that distinguish one language from another, rather than embracing their similarities. Language rules that are specific to regions focus on characteristics that are localized and may not apply to a wider array of languages, while grammar structures used by only a few languages highlight elements that lack the universality required to be considered a language universal.