Page 269 - A GRAMMAR OF BHOJPURI _ PhD Dissertation 2020 TU

pɑŋelɑ ɡɑcʰ pʌŋwɑɦɑ
pɑŋ-e-lɑ ɡɑcʰ pʌŋwɑɦɑ

trim-PUR-3SG.PRES tree shortener
'It is a tree, as for trimming, which a trimmer did.'

d. गाछ प"वाहा पाङेला । (OSV)
ɡɑcʰ pʌŋwɑɦɑ pɑŋelɑ

ɡɑcʰ pʌŋwɑɦɑ pɑŋ-e-lɑ
tree shortener trim-PUR-3SG.PRES
'As for tree, he is a trimmer, who trims it.'

e. गाछ पाङेला प"वाहा । (OVS)

ɡɑcʰ pɑŋelɑ pʌŋwɑɦɑ
ɡɑcʰ pɑŋ-e-lɑ pʌŋwɑɦɑ

tree trim-PUR-3SG.PRES shortener
'As for a tree, a trimmer trims it, he does not do anything else.'

Hence, all the six logically possible clauses (20) and (21a-e) are acceptable for
different pragmatic effects in Bhojpuri. However, SOV in (20) represents the basic

word order in the language. Thus, in a language in which word order is well
characterized as relatively free, it is not a definite diagnostic tool to examine

grammatical relations. Thus, word order has neither S nor A/O coding pattern in
Bhojpuri. However, it distinguishes between agentive subject in the transitive clauses
and an oblique NP in single argument clauses.

8.1.2 Behaviour-and-control properties
Apart from the overt-coding properties, there are the formal properties referred

to as behaviour-and-control properties (i.e. behaviour constraints) also, to characterize
grammatical relations. "Behaviour-and-control properties of GRs are, in practical
terms, a list of the syntactic constructions – or 'processes' – whose behaviour can be

governed, at least potentially, by the GRs subject and/or direct-object" (Givón
2001a:177). But they are not alway applicable across the board, much like the overt-

coding properties, Following Keenan (1976), Givón (2001a:177-8) exhibits the
following grammatical constructions – or 'process' – whose behaviour is most likely

to be governed by either the subject or direct-object GR:
(22) a. promotion to direct object

b. demotion from direct object

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