Language Structure Problems

Word Order:

Examine these data and answer the questions that follow:

1. die miesie eet die koring
the girl eats the corn

2. die man met die geel hoed het die geld
the man with the yellow hat has the money

3. die aap het die tas
the monkey has the suitcase

4. die perd loop
the horse walks

5. die stoute hond het die rok
the bad dog has the coat

6. die aap eet die piesang
monkey eats the banana

7. die man sien die aap
the man sees the monkey

8. die dief het hoed die aap se
the thief has the monkey's hat

9. die seun trek stert die perd se
the boy pulls the horse's tail

10. die seun wat koring eet
the boy who eats corn


A. What is the order of object, subject and verb?

B. Does this language use prepositions or postpositions? C. What is the order of thing possessed and possesser?

D. What is the order of relative clause and noun?

E. What is the order of adjective and noun?

F. Do the findings above fit together as expected? Is this language head initial, head final or a mixed case?