Subject–verb–object

In language typology are SVO languages ​​( subject-verb - object) those languages ​​in which subject, verb and object normally occur in that order. An example of such language is English.

SVO is one of the two most common word order types at all (besides SOV ); in the sample of the World Atlas of Language Structures show 35% of all languages ​​that type ( fluctuate additional 3.6 % between SVO and another type) in pure form. SVO languages ​​are according to this sample particularly common and prevalent type in Europe, southern Africa and Southeast Asia. In the indigenous languages ​​of central and northern Asia, and North America (ie North American Indian languages ​​), this type is, however, rare.

Since the classification based on whether the normal word order, SVO languages ​​to know in individual constructions, of course, variations and extensions of the scheme, eg by prepending of question words in interrogative sentences. The Scandinavian languages ​​are SVO languages ​​, which are added to a verb-second rule. Already in the early days of word order typology was also noted that SVO apparently occurs as a less common alternative form of sentence in most VSO languages.