An asymmetry between VO and OV languages
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John A. Hawkins
Abstract
The World Atlas of Language Structures has established an interesting asymmetry between head-initial (VO) and head-final (OV) languages with respect to the ordering of oblique phrases, i.e., phrases corresponding to with the key and on the table in opened [the door] [with the key] and put [the book] [on the table]. Head-initial grammars have a consistent and almost exceptionless preference for VOX order. Head-final grammars have variable basic orders: all of XOV, OXV and OVX are productively attested, and there are fewer clear basic orders than in VO languages. In this paper I offer a multi-factor explanation for this grammatical asymmetry in terms of processing efficiency, developing principles proposed in Hawkins (1994, 2004).
Abstract
The World Atlas of Language Structures has established an interesting asymmetry between head-initial (VO) and head-final (OV) languages with respect to the ordering of oblique phrases, i.e., phrases corresponding to with the key and on the table in opened [the door] [with the key] and put [the book] [on the table]. Head-initial grammars have a consistent and almost exceptionless preference for VOX order. Head-final grammars have variable basic orders: all of XOV, OXV and OVX are productively attested, and there are fewer clear basic orders than in VO languages. In this paper I offer a multi-factor explanation for this grammatical asymmetry in terms of processing efficiency, developing principles proposed in Hawkins (1994, 2004).
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Determining morphosyntactic feature values 1
- Does Hungarian have a case system? 35
- Case in Ingush syntax 57
- Cases, arguments, verbs in Abkhaz, Georgian and Mingrelian 75
- The degenerative dative of Southern Norrbothnian 105
- Case compounding in the Bodic languages 127
- Leipzig fourmille de typologues : Genitive objects in comparison 149
- An asymmetry between VO and OV languages 167
- On the scope of the referential hierarchy in the typology of grammatical relations 191
- Does passivization require a subject category? 211
- The definiteness of subjects and objects in Malagasy 241
- Without aspect 263
- Author index 283
- Language index 285
- Subject index 287
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
- Determining morphosyntactic feature values 1
- Does Hungarian have a case system? 35
- Case in Ingush syntax 57
- Cases, arguments, verbs in Abkhaz, Georgian and Mingrelian 75
- The degenerative dative of Southern Norrbothnian 105
- Case compounding in the Bodic languages 127
- Leipzig fourmille de typologues : Genitive objects in comparison 149
- An asymmetry between VO and OV languages 167
- On the scope of the referential hierarchy in the typology of grammatical relations 191
- Does passivization require a subject category? 211
- The definiteness of subjects and objects in Malagasy 241
- Without aspect 263
- Author index 283
- Language index 285
- Subject index 287
