Bīṙ syntax

Main article: Bīṙ

This page gives an extensive description of Bīṙ syntactical features.

Main clause and word order

Bīṙ is an almost strictly SOV (Subject-Object-Verb) language.

nɔhqɛ̱ṙ qon sū h́a̱ 
the man sees the dog

The total lack of any case system, and of any distinction between the subject and the direct object, makes the word order firmly fixed.

The other elements in the sentence are usually placed in the order “place-manner-cause-time”, although they are basically freer than the main elements, as they are conveyed by the case system or by the prepositions. The indirect object tends to be placed after the direct object of the sentence.

Any of the elements can be emphasized by placing it at the beginning or in the end of the sentence. This can be done through the evidential particle ɛṙ, which is to be placed after the emphasized element.

qon a̱ ɛṙ nɔhqɛ̱ṙ sū h́a̱ 
it's the dog the man sees

By using the evidential particle, every preposition of any kind must be clearly expressed.