Re: The structure of nostratic

>> >SOV: Principle: First list elements/properties, then make order.
>> >Let me take an example using english words: The big boy
>> >the small ball the wall over kicks. (The big boy kicks the
>> >small ball over the wall)
>>
>> Is the article before the noun in most SOV languages? Marc
>
>I have gone through a lot of grammars to make structural comparisons.
>Actually, the question is difficult to answer, because most sov-
>languages does not use any article. According to the sov-philosofy, I
>think it should be before the noun.

I should expect: after the noun? If the adjective is usu. placed before the
noun in SOV languages, a pre-noun article should be placed between the
adjective & the noun & disrupt the connection between adjective & noun. If
the article is seen as part of the noun (eg, as in French) the most
convenient place would be after the noun in SOV languages, no?

> However, In the few sov-languages
>where I have found articles, they are mostly placed after the noun.
>(Some amerindian languages, old Georgian, Basque)
>Articles are very common in vso-languages and often found in svo-
>languages.

Interesting. Is this so, that articles are far more typical of VO than of OV
languages?

>In vso-languages it is often placed before the noun,
>contrary to the general vso-philosofy. Examples: many semitic
>languages, polynesian languages, the romance languages (which have
>very many vso-properties)

Spanish, yes, but not the other Romance languages AFAIK?

Thanks, Knut.

Marc