Object Subject Verb - Definition and Overview

Object Subject Verb (OSV) is one of the permutations of expression used in Linguistic typology. OSV denotes the sequence "Object Subject Verb" in neutral expressions: Oranges Sam ate. It is a notation used when classifying languages according to the dominant sequence of these constitutents.

This sequence is rare. One example of a language that uses it is Xavante. It is also found in some other languages of Brazil, including Jamamadi, Apurinã, Kayabí and Nadëb.

One fictional example of this type of ordering is the speech of the character Yoda in Star Wars (though not consistent). The order of words sounds very peculiar to English speakers, adding to the strangeness of the character: "A brave man your father was", "My home this is", etc. This word order appears in a number of conlangs, such as Teonaht, as it is often chosen by language inventors for its exotic sound.

In Yiddish this word order is quite common; in English this word order may be used to emphasize the object: Ahh, now spaghetti I do like.

The other permutations in the order of most common to rarest are:

• Subject Verb Object Sam ate oranges. (for example English, German, Kiswahili, Chinese)
• Subject Object Verb Sam oranges ate. (for example Japanese, Persian, Latin)
• Verb Subject Object Ate Sam oranges. (for example Welsh, Hawaiian and Arabic)
• Verb Object Subject Ate oranges Sam. (for example Fijian)
• Object Verb Subject Oranges ate Sam. (for example in the artificial language Klingon)