Syntax
▲
0▲ 0 ▼ 0
A short introduction on syntax and word order in Uhe
This public article was written by [Deactivated User], and last updated on 3 Apr 2019, 10:14.
[comments] uhesyntaxgrammarword order Syntax
Despite having quite free word order, Uhe normally follows an SOV (subject, object, verb) word order, with other word orders being used to emphasise different parts of the sentence. Let’s look at an example; for context for the following sentences, e/in = ‘the’, squę = ‘girl’, ‘sabiq’ = bread, muy = ‘to eat’
E squę in sabiq mu.
‘The girl eats bread.’ – SOV
In sabiq e squę mu.
‘The bread is eaten by the girl.’ – OSV
Mu in sabiq e squę.
‘Eating is what is done to the bread by the girl.’ – VOS
In sabiq mu e squę.
‘It is the bread that the girl eats.’ – OVS
E squę mu in sabiq.
‘It is the girl who eats the bread.’ – SVO
Mu e squę in sabiq.
‘Eating is what the girl does to the bread.’ – VSO
Of course, many of these syntaxes are very seldom used, however it is important to understand the their usages. The order from most to least common syntaxes would be: SOV, OSV, SVO, VSO, OVS, VOS.
SOV is used in most general, active cases. It is what is used when delivering a clear statement where new information is being presented to the listener.
OSV is used when more emphasis is to be placed on the object rather than the subject, and is most commonly used in response to a question asking about the object of the sentence, e.g. - Zin e squę mu? - In sabiq e squę mu. ‘What does the girl eat?’ ‘The girl eats the bread.’ It can also function as the passive; e.g. In sabiq mu. ‘The bread is eaten.’
SVO is used when extra emphasis is wanted to be placed on the subject, and mostly only in response to a question asking about the subject, e.g. - She mu in sabiq? - E squę mu in sabiq. ‘Who eats the bread?’ ‘The girl eats the bread.’ It is also used frequently when wishing to point out the subject, i.e. ‘That there is the girl I was talking to you about, the one who eats the bread.’
VSO is used when extra emphasis is wanted to be placed on the verb, and mostly only used in response to a question asking about the verb, e.g. - I e squę in sabiq? - Mu e squę in sabiq. ‘What does the girl do to the bread?’ ‘The girl eats the bread.’
OVS is not used very frequently, its only usage being when pointing out the object of a sentence. In sabiq mu e squę. ‘That there is the bread I was talking to you about, the one that the girl eats.
VOS is not used very frequently, its only usage being in passive questions/responses to questions where the verb or object is unknown, e.g. - I in sabiq e squę? - Mu in sabiq. ‘What is done by the girl to the bread?’ ‘The bread is eaten.’ - Mu zin? - Mu in sabiq. ‘What is eaten?’ ‘The bread is eaten.’
Syntax comes into play a lot more when speaking in negatives, as the meaning changes significantly. (For context, ze = ‘I’, and xi = ‘not’)
Ze in sabiq xi must. ‘I did not eat the bread.’ (clear)
In sabiq ze xi must. ‘I did not eat the bread.’ (I ate something else)
Xi must yan sabiq ze. ‘I did not eat the bread.’ (In response to an accusation)
In sabiq xi must ze. ‘This is the bread I did not eat’. (Less common)
Ze xi must in sabiq. ‘I did not eat the bread.’ (Someone else ate the bread, not
me.)
Xi must ze in sabiq. ‘I did not eat the bread.’ (I did something else to the
bread.)
✎ Edit Article ✖ Delete Article
Comments
