Typological Database of the Volga-Kama Finno-Ugric Languages

(Meadow Mari)

SOV

SOV: The basic word order of content questions is SOV.

(1)	təj	partizan	gaj	mut-əm	o-t	luk.
	you	partisan	as	word‑ACC	NEG‑2SG	emit.CNG
	’You don’t say a word, like a partisan.’ (T. E.)

(2)	molan	təj	partizan	gaj	mut-əm	o-t	luk?
	why	you	partisan	as	word‑ACC	NEG‑2SG	emit.CNG
	’Why don’t you say a word, like a partisan?’ (T. E.)

(3)	salika	mogaj	šür-əm	šolt-a?
	Salika	what_like	soup‑ACC	cook‑3SG
	’What soup is Salika cooking?’ (T. E.)

(4)	salika	šür-əm	kunam	šolt-a?
	Salika	soup‑ACC	when	cook‑3SG
	’When will Salika cook soup?’ (T. E.)

The basic word order of Meadow Mari declarative sentences is SOV. In content questions the question word is either sentence-initial (2), appears in the position directly following the subject (3), or, less commonly, the object (4). The relative order of the subject, verb and object remains SOV (Riese et al. 2022: 146─148).

Author: Bogáta Timár

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