Appendix G: Word Order Typology

Basic Word Order Types

Linguists classify languages by their basic Subject-Verb-Object order. The three most common patterns are:

Other orders (VOS, OVS, OSV) exist but are rare.

The Six Languages

English: Strict SVO

English is rigidly SVO (Subject-Verb-Object):

Why strict? English has almost no case marking on nouns, so word order must show who does what to whom. Changing the order changes the meaning:

• The dog bites the man. — dog = agent
• The man bites the dog. — man = agent

French: SVO with Clitic Movement

French follows SVO like English, but object pronouns (clitics) move before the verb:

Multiple clitics stack before the verb in a fixed order: - Elle me le donne. — She gives it to me.

Spanish: SVO with Flexibility

Spanish uses SVO as default but allows more flexibility than English:

The personal a marks human direct objects, helping to identify objects when word order varies.

German: V2 in Main Clauses, SOV in Subordinate

German has a complex word order system:

Main clauses: V2 (verb-second)

The finite verb must be in second position, but various elements can fill first position:

Subordinate clauses: SOV

In subordinate clauses, the finite verb moves to the end:

• Ich weiß, dass der Hund den Mann beißt. — I know that the dog bites the man.

Verb bracket: In compound tenses, the auxiliary stays in V2 position while the participle/infinitive goes to the end:

• Der Hund hat den Mann gebissen. — The dog has bitten the man.

Latin: Free Order (SOV Tendency)

Latin’s case endings allow free word order. All these mean “The dog bites the man”:

Default tendency: Classical Latin prose tends toward SOV, with the verb at or near the end. But word order varies freely for emphasis, rhythm, and style.

What determines function: Case endings, not position: - canis (nominative) = subject - hominem (accusative) = object

Greek: Free Order (More Variable)

Like Latin, Greek uses case endings, allowing flexible word order:

Greek tends to be even more variable than Latin, with VSO and SVO both common in narrative prose.

Word Order and Case Marking: A Correlation

This is not coincidental. Languages without case marking need rigid word order to indicate grammatical relations. Languages with case marking can vary order for emphasis or style.

The V2 Rule

V2 (verb-second) is a distinctive feature of Germanic languages in main clauses:

English lost the V2 pattern in Middle English (except in certain contexts like “So do I”).

How V2 works: 1. One constituent (any type) fills first position 2. The finite verb must be second 3. Subject follows if not already in first position

Topic and Focus

Languages use word order (among other tools) to mark information structure:

English uses fronting for contrast: - This book, I haven’t read. (normal: I haven’t read this book.)

Spanish uses fronting more freely: - A María la vi ayer. — Maria, I saw her yesterday.

Latin often places new/important information first or last: - Gallia est omnis divīsa in partēs trēs. — Gaul, as a whole, is divided into three parts.

Adjective Position

Languages differ in whether adjectives precede or follow nouns:

French exceptions: Some common adjectives precede: - un grand homme — a great man - un homme grand — a tall man

The position can change meaning.

Summary Table

Previous: Appendix F: Common Errors

Next: Appendix H: Worked Parsing Examples