semantic universals

Semantic universals are concepts or features that appear in the meanings of words or expressions across all human languages. They reflect aspects of human experience shared globally, such as concepts of space, time, or identity. For example, nearly every language has words or ways to express things like "something that exists," "who," or "go." These universals suggest that, despite differences in language structure, humans tend to develop similar ways of understanding and talking about fundamental ideas. Studying them helps linguists understand universal aspects of human cognition and communication.