Unmarked order: SVO Transitive clauses

162 A GRAMMAR OF THE MUNA LANGUAGE can be present in various ways: - the subject can be a full NP or merely be indicated by the subject marker; - the object can be a full NP, a pronominal suffix, a combination of a full NP and a pronominal suffix which I will call object agreement or zero. The unmarked order in transitive clauses with full subject and object nouns is SVO, but these positions are not fixed; in certain circumstances the following divergent orders may be found: - S follows V subject postposing; - O precedes V object preposing; - S and O follow V subject and object postposing; After illustrating the normal transitive word order, with full and pronominal NPs, I will discuss and illustrate the following points: - zero objects; - object agreement; - object focus: OV, VS, OVS; - subject postposing: VOS; - subject + object postposing: VSO.

7.3.1. Unmarked order: SVO

Depending on whether S and O are full nominals or pronominal suffixes, four types can be distinguished. In the clause name abbreviations I use -e to stand for the direct object pronominal suffix. 1. S-prefix, O-suffix : V-e 2. full S, O-suffix : SV-e 3. S-prefix, full O : VO 4. full S, full O : SVO 1. V-e transitive clauses: 100 no-hela-e-mo he pulled it up 3sR-pull-it-PF 101 do-ghawi-e kansuru they had her continually on 3pR-lap-her continually their lap 102 do-tesi-kasami tora they tested us ex again 3pR-test-usex again 103 a-k[um]apihi-da I will search them 1sI-search-them 2. SV-e transitive clauses: 104 o dahu no-tu-tunggu-e we koro the dog guarded him below ART dog 3sR-RED-guard-him loc bottom 105 o kadondo no-sula-e-mo the woodpecker burnt it ART woodpecker 3sR-burn-it-PF 106 a-dhi-a-dhini kansuru no-gege-e at once the jin put it RED-ART-jin at.once 3sR-bind-it around his waist 7 THE CLAUSE 163 3. VO transitive clauses: 107 garaa ne-ghawa-mo se-ghulu kenta and then he got a fish SURPR 3sR-get-PF one-CLAS fish 108 no-fo-limba bhaku ka-owa-ndo 3sR-CAUS-go.out provisions NOM-bring-their he took out the provisions they had taken along 109 ane a-[m]angkafi ka-pindalo-ku if I follow my desire if 1sI-follow NOM-desire-my 110 do-wora-mo me-kabua-no they saw a fisherman 3pR-see-PF -fish-A.PART 111 dae-foni-si ghai we will climb a coconut tree 1pI-go.up-TR coconut 4. SVO transitive clauses: 112 o katogha ne-mbolaku kenta topa the crow stole dried fish ART crow 3sR-steal fish dry 113 idi a-[m]ala ghole-no I will take the top I 1sI-take top-its 114 kabua-bua ini ne-ghondo-hi-mo sau ka-mate girl this 3sR-look-TR-PF wood NOM-dead the girl looked for dead wood 115 ai-hi-ku miina-ho da-[m]ande-ha-ane hula-no younger.sibling-PLUR-my not.yet 3pI-know-INT-it face-POS ama-mani father-ourex my younger siblings still did not know our ex fathers face 116 o kolope no-fetingke anagha ART wild.cassava 3sR-hear that the wild cassava heard that

7.3.2. Zero objects