Sentence Word Order
In English the word order is; SUBJECT VERB OBJECT
e.g. They climbed the tree
In Murrawarri word order is generally; SUBJECT OBJECT VERB
e.g. tree-on climbed-(finished)-they
waan-du gula-ra-bula
Here are a few general (simple) comments about word order and grammar that affects word order.
• Murrawarri is a very flexible language, with a number of ways to structure a sentence, depending upon the emphasis required.
• In Murrawarri the subject is NEVER placed between the object and the verb
Remember that
• meaning is BUILT INTO the suffixes attached the NOUNS and VERBS. This means that sentence structure varies widely.
• tense (present, past and future) is built into the verb stem and the suffixes attached to the verbs.
• in a sentence, pronouns can be:
(a) stand alone
(b) bound to a verb or
(c) both (if the speaker wants to emphasise the person).
• as a very general rule (but not always) verbs come at the end, or towards the end, of the sentence.
• sentences can be verbless.