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"The notion of basic constituent order is also somewhat troublesome in the
Oceanic context, as (i) there are both verbal and non-verbal clause types, and their
predicate/subject orders are not always the same…" (Ross 2004:494)
"A subject NP is obligatorily postposed if not focused and if the main verb is
intransitive…" (Sohn and Bender 1973:358, cited in Hale 1998; Ulithian)
"The subject NP is obligatorily extraposed in certain circumstances, and optionally
extraposed in others…" (Oda 1977:149, cited in Hale 1998; Pulo Annian)
"In a predicative sentence, the subject noun phrase is often placed after the
predicate (normally before an adjunct if there is any)." (Sohn 1975:15, cited in
Hale 1998; Woleaian)
"SUBJECT + INTRANSITIVE VERB > INTRANSITIVE VERB + SUBJECT:
When the predicate of a sentence is an intransitive verb and the verb appears in the
complete aspect, the word-order of the subject and the predicate can be changed…
When the verb appears in the incomplete aspect, the inversion is not common, but
possible…" (Lee 1975:319, cited in Hale 1998; Kosraean)
While many Micronesian languages allow word order variations, the three Micronesian
languages which appear to be most similar to Marshallese with respect to word order are
Puluwatese, Mokilese and Kosraean. For example, Puluwatese transitive sentences have
S V O order, but intransitives may have either V S or S V (Lynch, et al 2004).
S V O
(320) Wur¤umwo ya yákékkél-ee-r¤ yát-e-kkit mákk.
Wur¤umwo 3s teach-SV-3pl.obj child-EV-small writing
'Wur¤umwo taught the children writing.'
(Lynch, et al 2004:812)
S V
(321) Ye-ray er¤emahán Polowat a fáyi-to.
one-CL man Puluwat perf come-hither
'A Puluwat man has come.'
(Lynch, et al 2004:812)
V S
(322) Ye pwe le mááló manú-hemwaay we.
3s T(fut) imm.fut die dem-SV-sick dem
'The sick man will soon die.'
(Lynch, et al 2004:812)
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