User:Bukkia/sandboxVIII

Main article: Biwdiw

This page gives an extensive description of Biwdiw syntactical features.

Main clause and word order

Biwdiw is a mainly SVO (Subject-Verb-Object) language, but there are clear traces hinting to a previous underlying SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) order.

wīruliw līlušɛc subɛ 
the man sees the dog

The case system, which clearly distinguishes between the subject and the direct object, allows every other possible word order to some extent, but most of them prove to be very marked and infrequently used. However, the direct object can be emphasized by placing it at the beginning of the sentence.

soba řirur řirušjid wẽh
it's the dog the man sees

The other elements in the sentence are usually placed in the order “time-cause-manner-place”, although they are basically freer than the main elements, as they are conveyed by the case system or by the prepositions. These elements can be emphasized by placing them at the beginning of the sentence. The indirect object tends to be placed after the direct object of the sentence.