jophefs
09/13/07, 03:43 PM
The natural order of words in a sentence is: subject -- verb -- object. In some cases no other order is possible. Juan defeated Pedro is the only way in which we can state the fact while restricting ourselves to these three words.
Pedro defeated Juan is untrue. Juan Pedro defeated and Pedro Juan defeated are not only clumsy forms, but they leave it doubtful which of the two was defeated. Defeated Juan Pedro is nonsense. Here, then, no other order is permissible than subject -- verb -- object.
Pedro defeated Juan is untrue. Juan Pedro defeated and Pedro Juan defeated are not only clumsy forms, but they leave it doubtful which of the two was defeated. Defeated Juan Pedro is nonsense. Here, then, no other order is permissible than subject -- verb -- object.