DLAB Contextual Word Order Rules Flashcards

In a test language, yes/no questions are formed by moving the verb to the front of the sentence. 'The bird flies' = 'telu zoru.' 'Does the bird fly?' becomes:

Answer: zoru telu?

Moving the verb (zoru) to front-position while keeping the subject (telu) after it gives 'zoru telu?'

Language M's rule: in a two-verb sentence, the second verb takes the direct object. 'I want to eat bread' (mi=I, volu=want, mandu=eat, panu=bread) is:

Answer: mi volu mandu panu

The second verb (mandu/eat) takes the object (panu/bread), and the sentence follows Subject-Verb1-Verb2-Object order: mi volu mandu panu.

A fictional rule: in negative sentences, the subject and object swap positions. 'The cat sees the dog' = 'felo velu kanu.' 'The cat does NOT see the dog' is:

Answer: kanu no velu felo

Subject (felo) and object (kanu) swap positions, and 'no' is placed before the verb, giving 'kanu no velu felo.'

In language T, passive voice uses OVS order (Object-Verb-Subject). Active: 'kanu fela zoru' (dog bites cat). The passive 'The cat is bitten by the dog' is:

Answer: zoru fela kanu

OVS passive puts the object (zoru/cat) first, then the verb (fela), then the subject (kanu/dog): zoru fela kanu.

A test language places conjunctions at the END of clauses rather than between them. 'I run and you walk' becomes:

Answer: I run you walk and

The conjunction 'and' moves to clause-final position, so the first clause ends with its conjunction: 'I run you walk and.'

Language U places interrogative words in second position (after the first word only). 'What did you eat?' becomes:

Answer: You what did eat?

The first word is 'you' (subject), and 'what' must occupy the second position, giving 'You what did eat?'