View source for Word order in Latin

[[Latin]] differs from languages like [[English language|English]] in that it uses many [[noun case]]s which are [[declension|declined]] in such a way that they are nearly all different from each other, and even [[proper noun]]s such as [[name]]s are declined.

For example, the ending of the common [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] name ''Marcus'' is different in each of the following sentences due to the different cases in which it is used (the name ''Cornelia'' remains undeclined):

*'''Marcus''' hits Cornelia. (Subject-Verb-Object, the most common permutation of expression in English)
*Cornelia hits '''Marcum'''. (SVO)
*Cornelia gives '''Marco''' a present. (Subject, Verb, [indirect object], [direct] Object, so SVO as well.)
*Cornelia shouts: "'''Marce''', '''Marce''', come! It's time for your difficult language homework." (SVO)

Declension by case means that word order can be more variable in Latin than in English and other languages&mdash;because a reader or listener can discern the case of a word, it is not necessary to adhere to a strictly defined order.

The ordering in the following sentences would be perfectly correct in Latin and no doubt understood with clarity, despite the fact that in English they're awkward at best and senseless at worst:

*Cornelia hits '''Marcus'''. (OVS)
**But which means: '''Marcus''' hits Cornelia.
*'''Marcum''' hits Cornelia. (OVS)
**But which means: Cornelia hits '''Marcum'''.
*'''Marcum''' Cornelia hits. (OSV)
**But which means: Cornelia hits '''Marcum'''.
*'''Marco''' gives Cornelia a present. ([indirect object], Verb, Subject, [direct] Object, so VSO)
**But which means: Cornelia gives '''Marco''' a present.

Nonetheless, the SOV permutation was the most frequent in Classical Latin, except where&mdash;in [[poetry]], for example&mdash;the ordering was often changed for the sake of rhythm or emphasis.  Ordinary prose, however, tended to follow the pattern of Subject, Indirect Object, Direct Object, Adverbial Words or Phrases, Verb.  Adjectives usually directly followed nouns, unless they were nouns of beauty, size, goodness, or truth, in which case they preceded the noun being modified.

However, some Latin writers use word order to add emphasis to certain words in a statement.  In [[Virgil|Virgil's]] ''[[Eclogues]]'', for example, he writes, "''Omnia vincit amor, et nos cedamus amori!''". (''Love'' conqueres ''all'', let us yield to ''love!'')

It is possible to construct a poem with a completely regular rhythm of [[lexical stress|stressed]] and unstressed [[syllable]]s through careful arrangement of the right words in the right order, a feat rendered virtually impossible in English. An example of this form of poetry is the [[dactylic hexameter]].

It should not be believed, however, that Latin word order is completely free.  The Romans never wrote in such a free manner.  In fact, the placement of words within a sentence, particularly in writing, would have significant meaning.  Unfortunately, many students of Latin are never taught this distinction, and instead, they follow the ill-founded idea that word order does not matter.  This has led many, including people who should know better, to misunderstand (or be unable to read) many famous examples of Latin.

Many [[Slavic language]]s, such as [[Russian]] and [[Polish]]&mdash;though not [[Bulgarian]]&mdash;also have many noun cases, making variable word order possible as in Latin.

==See also==

* [[Word order]]
* [[Linguistic typology]]

[[Category:Latin]]


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