Hi, Ruth,

I think I met you on the other list -- you had also been to Wat
Buddhasamakeedham in Ft Smith? -- anyway

> My first question is simply about word order. How important is
> it? So far I
> have been pretty consistent in using a subject - direct object -
> indirect object - action verb order.

Yes, subject-object-verb is the most common pattern. But since Pali
is an inflected language, this is only a stylistic convention. The
sentence would often be unambiguous whatever your word order. In the
metrical passages, you'll find far more liberties taken than in the
prose.

> But what about the other noun
> cases and the indeclinables like here, now, everyday, etc? Do they
> have set places?

Indeclinables such as kho, "indeed," tend to be used "enclitically,"
i.e. in second position. This also applies to vocatives such as
bhikkhave, "O monks."

Metta,

Derek.