View source for Verb–subject–object word order

{{Short description|System of word ordering}}
{{Linguistic typology topics}}

In [[linguistic typology]], a '''verb–subject–object''' ('''VSO''') language has its most typical sentences arrange their elements in that order, as in ''Ate Sam apples'' (Sam ate apples). VSO is the third-most common [[word order]] among the world's languages,<ref>[http://wals.info/feature/81A#2/18.0/152.8 WALS Chapter 81]</ref> after [[subject-object-verb|SOV]] (as in [[Hindi]] and [[Japanese language|Japanese]]) and [[subject–verb–object|SVO]] (as in [[English language|English]] and [[Mandarin Chinese]]).

Language families in which all or many of their members are VSO include the following:
* the [[Insular Celtic languages]] (including [[Irish language|Irish]], [[Scottish Gaelic language|Scottish Gaelic]], [[Manx language|Manx]], [[Welsh language|Welsh]], [[Cornish language|Cornish]] and [[Breton language|Breton]])
* the [[Afroasiatic languages]] (including [[Berber language|Berber]], [[Assyrian Neo-Aramaic|Assyrian]], [[Egyptian language|Egyptian]], [[Classical Arabic|Classical]] and [[Modern Standard Arabic]], [[Biblical Hebrew]], and [[Ge'ez language|Ge'ez]])
* the [[Austronesian languages]] (including [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]], [[Visayan languages|Visayan]], [[Pangasinan language|Pangasinan]], [[Kapampangan language|Kapampangan]], [[Dusun language|Kadazan Dusun]], [[Hawaiian language|Hawaiian]], [[Māori language|Māori]], and [[Tongan language|Tongan]]).
* the [[Salishan languages]]
* many [[Mesoamerican languages]], such as the [[Mayan languages]] and [[Oto-Manguean languages]]
* many [[Nilotic languages]] (including [[Nandi–Markweta languages|Nandi]] and [[Maasai language|Maasai]])

Many languages, such as Greek, have relatively [[free word order]], where VSO is one of many possible orders. Other languages, such as Spanish and Romanian, allow rather free [[Inversion (linguistics)#Subject–verb_inversion|subject-verb inversion]]. However, the most basic, common, and [[Markedness|unmarked]] form in these languages is SVO, so they are classified as SVO languages.

==Languages==
{{Language word order frequency}}
===Semitic languages===
[[Modern Standard Arabic|Standard Arabic]] is an example of a language that uses VSO:

{{fs interlinear|lang=ar|indent=3
|top= {{lang|ar|يَقْرَأُ ٱلْمُدَرِّسُ ٱلْكِتابَ}}
| يَقْرَأُ ٱلْمُدَرِّسُ ٱلْكِتابَ
| yaqraʼu l-mudarrisu l-kitāba
| reads {the teacher} {the book}
| verb subject object
| The teacher reads the book}}
{{note|*|*}} <small>Arabic script is written [[right-to-left]]</small>

Another Semitic language, [[Biblical Hebrew]], uses VSO, as in [[Book of Genesis|Genesis]] 1:1, which is seen here, and many other places in the [[Tanakh]]:

{{fs interlinear|lang=he|indent=3
|top= {{lang|he|... בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם}}
| בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם
| Bara Elohim et ha-shamayim...
| created God PTCL{{ref|*|*}} {the heavens}
| verb subject {} object
| God created the heavens...}}
{{note|*|*}}<small>''et'' is a particle marking the direct object of the verb.</small>

{{note|*|*}} <small>The [[Hebrew script]] is written from right to left.</small>

===Celtic languages===
In [[Welsh language|Welsh]], some tenses use simple verbs, which are found at the beginning of the sentence and are followed by the subject and any objects. An example is the [[preterite]]:

{{interlinear|indent=3
|top= Siaradodd Aled y Gymraeg.
| Siaradodd Aled {y Gymraeg}
| spoke Aled {DEF Welsh}
| Verb Subject Object
| Aled spoke Welsh.}}

Other tenses may use compound verbs in which the conjugated form of usually ''bod'' (to be) precedes the subject and other verb-nouns come after the subject. Objects then follow the final verb-noun. Here is the usual method of forming the [[present tense]]:

{{interlinear|indent=3
|top= Mae Aled yn siarad y Gymraeg.
| Mae Aled {yn siarad} {y Gymraeg}
| is Aled {{gcl|V|verb}}-{{gcl|N|noun}}.speak {DEF Welsh}
| {Aux. Verb} Subject Verb-Noun Object
| Aled speaks Welsh.}}

In [[Irish language|Irish]], phrases also use VSO:

{{interlinear|indent=3
|top= Itheann Seán arán.
| Itheann Seán arán
| eat-PRS Seán bread
| Verb Subject Object
| Sean eats bread.}}

In Irish, in forming a question, the same order is used (with an [[Irish_conjugation#Interrogative_particles|interrogative particle]] in front):

{{interlinear|indent=3
|top= An itheann tú arán?
| An itheann tú arán
| Q eat-PRS you bread
| {Question part.} Verb Subject Object
| Do you eat bread?}}

The typological classification of [[Breton language|Breton]] syntax is problematic. It has been claimed that Breton has an underlying VSO character, but it appears at first sight that [[V2 word order|V2]] is the most frequent pattern. That arises as a result of a process usually involving the subject noun phrase [[Cleft sentence#Goidelic languages|being fronted]]. It has been suggested that the fronting has arisen from a development in which clefting and fronting, which are very common in Celtic languages, became completely pervasive. A very similar development is seen in literary [[Middle Welsh]] but did not continue into [[Modern Welsh]].

==Inversion to VSO==
There is some tendency in many languages to switch constructions for emphasis. Particularly, sentences in [[English language|English]] poetry are sometimes written in VSO, and [[Early Modern English]] explicitly reflects the tacit VSO order that is found in Modern English by suppressing the imperative's now-understood subject. For example, "[[To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time|Gather ye rosebuds while ye may]]" contrasts with modern "Gather rosebuds while you may".

Arabic sentences use either SVO or VSO, depending on whether the subject or the verb is more important. Sociolinguistic factors also influence sentence structure especially since colloquial [[varieties of Arabic]] generally prefer SVO, but VSO is more common in [[Standard Arabic]].<ref>[https://wals.info/feature/81A#2/18.0/152.9 Feature 81A: Order of Subject, Object and Verb]</ref>

Non-VSO languages that use VSO in [[questions]] include [[English language|English]] and many other [[Germanic languages]] such as [[German language|German]] and [[Dutch language|Dutch]], as well as [[French language|French]], [[Finnish language|Finnish]], [[Maká language|Maká]], and [[Emilian language|Emilian]].

In languages with [[V2 word order]], such as most [[Germanic languages]] except for Modern English, as well as [[Ingush language|Ingush]] and [[Oʼodham language|Oʼodham]], the verb is always the second element in a main clause. The subject precedes the verb by default, but if another word or phrase is put at the front of the clause, the subject is moved to the position immediately after the verb. For example, the German sentence ''Ich esse oft Rinderbraten'' (I often eat roast beef) is in the standard SVO word order, with the adverb ''oft'' (often) immediately after the verb. However, if that adverb is moved to the beginning of the sentence for emphasis, the subject ''ich'' (I) is moved to the third position, which places the sentence in VSO order: ''Oft esse ich Rinderbraten''.

==See also==
*[[Polish notation]]
*[[:Category:Verb–subject–object languages]]

==References==
<references />

{{DEFAULTSORT:Verb-subject-object}}
[[Category:Verb–subject–object languages| ]]
[[Category:Word order]]