When languages around the world build a basic sentence, 43% arrange the words this way: subject - object - verb. Who does this? (Hint: not English!) How is it unique? Why is it so popular? Subscribe for more: Become my patron: Check my sources: ~ Briefly, with *spoilers* ~ Today we learn the characteristics of SOV and figure out why it's the #1 word order. Along the way we'll cover: - SOV's superlatives across history, geography, thought - a feel for V (verb) final languages, using a garden path sentence - roles: SOV as Agent-Patient-Action - flexibility even within SOV languages - cues: meaning, case marking, word order - SOV as the "language of thought" - animacy and (non-)reversible sentences - an underlying human-inanimate-action order - how removing family and area bias boosts SOV at the expense of SVO - colonialism and the (future?) spread of SVO Art, animation and music by me. I've written up a sources document for claims made and for pics, sfx, fonts: Sources: Continuing the call from my OSV video, here are groups to support: Support: #heading=