German word order (was Re: ? how would you classify this language ?)
| From: | Jörg Rhiemeier <joerg_rhiemeier@...> |
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| Date: | Wednesday, September 15, 2004, 18:57 |
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Hallo!
On Wed, 15 Sep 2004 18:38:37 +0100,
Joe <joe@...> wrote:
> > 'vary between'? what's between them?
> >
> >
>
> German, I suppose. SOV, SVO, and VSO are all possible, in various
> clauses (Always SVO or VSO in main clauses, though, I think). That's
> called a V2 language, because, as I learnt it, the verb is always the
> second concept(except after certain conjunctions, in which case it goes
> to the end of the clause).
German is SVO in declarative main clauses (but if there is an auxiliary
and an infinite form, the auxiliary is in second position and the
infinite form at the end of the clause), SOV in subordinate clauses,
and VSO in yes-no questions (in wh-questions, the interrogative
pronoun is in first position, followed by the verb).
Greetings,
Jörg.
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