Verb Subject Object

Article on other languages:

• Prädikat-Subjekt-Objekt
• Verbo_Sujeto_Objeto
• Verbo_Subjekto_Objekto
• Langue_VSO
• Verbo_Soggetto_Oggetto
• VSO型
• VSO-språk
• VSO
• Verbo_Sujeito_Objecto
• VSO-kieli
• VSO-språk
• 谓主宾结构

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Verb Subject Object (VSO) is a term in linguistic typology. It represents one type of languages when classifying languages according to the sequence of these constituents in neutral expressions: Ate Sam oranges.

Examples of languages with VSO word order include formal (especially Classical) Arabic, the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, that is Gaelic languages (Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Manx) and Brythonic languages (Welsh, Cornish and Breton), Classic Maya, ancient Egyptian, Tagalog, Cebuano, Hawaiian, Pangasinan, Māori, Classical Hebrew, and Tongan.

Examples

Formal Arabic is a prime example of a language that favors VSO. For example:

Inversion into VSO

There are many languages which switch from SVO (Subject Verb Object) order to VSO order with different constructions, usually for emphasis. For example, sentences in English poetry can sometimes be found to have a VSO order; Arabic sentences use an SVO order or a VSO order depending on whether the subject or the verb is more important.

Non-VSO languages that use VSO word order in questions include English, many Germanic languages, French, and Spanish.

See also

• Subject Object Verb
• Subject Verb Object
• Object Subject Verb
• Object Verb Subject
• Verb Object Subject