Word Order

Basic Constituents

Kangshi canonical word order is VSOX (VAPX) in main clauses and SOVX in embedded clauses; however, there is some degree of freedom in the ordering of the constituents.

Noun Phrase

The Noun Phrase is mostly head-initial, i.e. adjectives and appositions come after the noun, with the exception of Genitives, which precede their head noun. The order is GEN-H-PP-ADJ.

Verb Phrase

In compound verbs, the ~auxiliary~ always follows the primary verb.

Morphosyntax

Alignment

Kangshi follows a split-ergative alignment, so that the agent and patient of an action are sometimes marked with the direct and accusative cases and sometimes with ergative and direct cases. The alignment split is basically aspect-based: perfective verbs take ergative marking on their arguments, otherwise the marking is accusative.