Word Order and Scrambling

Book excerpt: Word Order and Scrambling introduces readers to recent research into the linguistic phenomenon called scrambling and is a valuable contribution to the fields of theoretical linguistics, psycholinguistics, and applied linguistics. Introduces readers to recent research into the linguistic phenomenon called scrambling, or free word order. Explores major issues including factors responsible for word order variations, how scrambled constructions are processed, and whether variations are available in early child language development and in second language acquisition. Discusses a number of typologically diverse languages including Hindi, Japanese, and Navajo. Provides enlightening information on different aspects of word order variation and the consequences for our understanding of the nature of human language.