Word order typology


Irish
:  VSO

     chonaic Seán an  madadh
     saw     John the dog
     'John saw the dog.'

Tibetan
: SOV

     blo=bzang-gis khyi de  mthong-song
     Lobsang-ERG   dog  the see-PAST
     'Lobsang saw the dog.'

Thai
: SVO

     Somsak hen maa
     Somsak see dog
     'Somsak saw the dog.'

Russian
: SVO

     Ivan videl sobaku
     John saw   dog
     'John saw the dog.'

     sobaku videl Ivan

     'John saw the DOG'


Klamath
:  free word order

     c'opbaq ?a sle?a Na:s wac'a:k
     Chopbak    saw   one  dog
     'Chopbak saw one dog'

all of these are possible alternate ways of saying the same
thing:

     c'opbaq ?a Na:s wac'a:k sle?a 

     sle?a ?a c'opbaq Na:s wac'a:k

     sle?a ?a c'opbaq wac'a:k Na:s 
     
     Na:s ?a sle?a c'opbaq wac'a:k

     wac'a:k ?a Na:s c'opbaq sle?a