question about patterns of N-A, A-N order

[Tom Givon]

This is completely a function of the diachrony of grammar 
(grammaticalization). So, in the most simplified version:

(i)  If a language was an OV language and then developed morphology 
during that period, there will be a tendency (not absolute) to develop 
suffixes. If the language then changes to VO, it doesn't get rid of the 
old suffixal morphology. But when it develops new morphology, it would 
tend to develop prefixes. English, German, Hebrew & Latin are such 
languages.

(ii)  Conversely, if a language is VO and develops prefixal morphology, 
but then changes to OV (mostly via substratum contact; examples: 
Akkadian, Amharic New-Guinea Austronesian), then when it develops new 
morphology, it would be primarily suffixal. But the old prefixes don't 
go away

(iii)  Since OV appears to be the oldest word-order attested (Givon 
1979), and languages tend to drift FROM it rather than TO it (except in 
substratum-contact cases), OV languages tend to only have suffixal 
morphology, since they were not VO at any prior time.

This is of course highly simplified, and to many of us it belabors the 
obvious...Some of the gory detail can be found in:
Givon, T. (1971)  "Historical syntax and synchronic morphology", CLS #7, 
U. of Chicago
Givon, T. (1979)  On Understanding Grammar, NY: Academic Press
Givon, T. (200) "Internal reconstruction: As method, as theory", in S. 
Gildea, ed. TSL volume, Amsterdam: J. Benjamins
Givon, T. (2001) Syntax (vol. 1, several chapters), Amsterdam: J. Benjamins

Best,  TG

============





Clements, Joseph Clancy wrote:
> In morphology, Cutler, Hawkins, et al (1985) found that Prep-VO languages have prefixes and suffixes and Postp-OV languages have almost exclusively suffixes.
>
> It has been shown that adj order relative to its modified N does not pattern with Prep-VO or Postp-OV languages. However, the following looks like a pattern in the few languages I've worked with: there are languages that have almost exclusively A-N order (e.g. English, German, the Neo-Aryan languages) and languages with N-A order that also have A-N order (e.g. the Romance languages).
>
> My question: does anyone know of any studies on A-N/N-A order patterns in the world's languages?
>
> Any references would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Clancy
>
>
>
>
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