Object–subject–verb

In linguistic typology, object–subject–verb (OSV) or object–agent–verb (OAV) is a classification of languages according to whether this structure predominates in pragmatically neutral expressions. An example of OSV word order would be: Oranges Sam ate.

OSV as unmarked word order

This type of word order in unmarked sentences (i.e. sentences in which an unusual word order is not used for emphasis) is rare. Most languages that use OSV as their default word order come from the Amazon basin, such as Xavante, Jamamadi, Apurinã, Kayabí and Nadëb.^[3]

An Apurinã example:^[3]

anana	nota	apa
pineapple	I	fetch
I fetch a pineapple

British Sign Language (BSL) normally uses topic–comment structure. However its default word order when topic–comment structure is not used is OSV.

Fictitious languages

Star Wars franchise creator George Lucas attributed to his fictional character Yoda a native language featuring OSV grammatical order, as reflected in the character's instinctive application of the OSV template to Galactic Basic vocabulary in generating statements such as "Your father he is, but defeat him you must."

OSV as marked word order

Various languages allow OSV word order but only in marked sentences, i.e. in certain circumstances to draw special attention to the sentence or part of the sentence.

American Sign Language

American Sign Language uses topics to set up referent loci.

ASL has a specific word order that changes depending on the intended focus of the sentence or the context of the utterance. ASL uses OSV, most frequently when describing a scene or event, or when depicting verbs. The OSV order may also be used to emphasize the importance of the object in question. ASL also uses the SVO word order, usually for direct, brief, or non-descriptive utterances.

Arabic

Arabic also allows OSV in marked sentences, for example:

إِيَّاك نَعْبُدُ وإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِين

Iyyāka naʿbudu wa iyyāka nastaʿīn

You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.

English and German

This structure may on occasion be seen in English, usually in the future tense or used as a contrast with the conjunction "but", such as in the following examples: "Rome I shall see!", "I hate oranges, but apples I'll eat!"; and in relative clauses where the relative pronoun is the (direct or indirect) object, such as in "What I do is my own business." In English and German OSV also appears in relative clauses where the relative pronoun is the (direct or indirect) object, such as in "Was ich mache, ist meine Angelegenheit."

Hebrew

In Modern Hebrew, OSV is often used to emphasize the object. For example אני אוהב אותה (normal SVO) would mean "I love her", while "אותה אני אוהב" would mean "It is her that I love".

Hungarian

In Hungarian OSV is used to emphasize the subject:

A szócikket én szerkesztettem = The article/I/edited (meaning: It was I who edited the article - and not somebody else).

Japanese and Korean

In Korean, OSV is possible when the object is topicalized.

Sentence	그사과는 내가 먹었어요.
Words	그	사과	는	내	가	먹	었	어요
Romanization	geu	sagwa	neun	nae	ga	meog	eoss	eoyo.
Gloss	the/that	apple	(topicalization marker)	I	(sub. marker)	eat	(past)	(polite)
Parts	Object			Subject		Verb
Translation	It is I who ate that apple.

An almost identical syntax is possible in Japanese:

Sentence	そのりんごは私が食べました。
Words	その	りんご	は	私	が	食べ	まし	た。
Romanization	sono	ringo	wa	watashi	ga	tabe	mashi	ta.
Gloss	the/that	apple	(topicalization marker)	I	(sub. marker)	eat	(polite)	(past/perfect)
Parts	Object			Subject		Verb
Translation	It is I who ate that apple.

Malayalam

OSV is one of two permissible word orders in Malayalam, the other being SOV.

Nahuatl

OSV is possible when the object is emphasized.^[4]

Cah	cihuah	in	niquintlazohtla
(indicative marker)	women	(topicalization marker)	I-them-love
women I love them
It is the women whom I love.

Turkish

In Turkish OSV is used to emphasize the subject:

Yemeği ben pişirdim = The meal/I/cooked (meaning: It was I who cooked the meal - not somebody else).

Yiddish

It can be used in Yiddish to emphasize the distinctive properties of the object. This syntax has been carried over into Yinglish, in such places as New York City where regional English was affected by Yiddish-speaking immigrants around the beginning of the 20th century, according to Leo Rosten. For example, the sentence "Sure, him she loves," carries over that emphasis into English as it would be expressed in Yiddish.^[5]

See also

• Subject–object–verb
• Subject–verb–object
• Object–verb–subject
• Verb–object–subject
• Verb–subject–object

References