Order

The laws of order are those regularities that govern changes in meaning when arder changes. "The cat caught the mouse" means something obviously different from "The mouse caught the caL" Order is used differently in different languages and cultures. While order is of majar impartance on the sentence level in English, this is not the case in some languages. Order also has great impartance in other parts of cultural systems besides language: arder of birth, order of arrival, arder in line to get tickets. Order applies to the courses of a mea!. Consider what it would be like to start dinner with dessert, then switch to potatoes, hors d'oeuvre,* coffee, salad, and end with meat!

Adapted from Hall, pp. 132-133 Discussing Ideas. Work in pairs or small groups. Take tums comparing your first language to English. Can you give some specific examples of how word order differs?

A. Adjectives
One or more adjectives can modify a noun. Usually, no more than three or four adjectives are used to describe the same noun. The chart gives examples of the usual order of some descriptive adjectives.

B. Adverbs
Adverbs modify verbs and adjectives. Many adverbs are formed by adding -ly to re1ated adjectives (quick quickly). In general, adverbs cannot come between a verb and a direct object.

*horsd'oeuvre (French)

appetizers,

small snacks before a mea!.

Some adverbs are used to express time or frequency. These usually come after the verb be or the first auxiliary verb, but before the main verboIn questions, they usually come after the subject. Other expressions come at the beginning or end of sentences. The following chart gives some examples.

Note: See Chapters 2 and 3 for more information on adverbs of frequency and other time expressions.

C. Adverbials
Adverbials are words or groups of words that act like adverbs-that is, they modify verbs and adjectives. The chart gives some examples.Notice the word order of the different adverbials.

Add the information in parentheses to the following sentences. Example: Traveling is an amazing experience. (in foreign countries, always) Travelnginforeigncountries is a/ways an amazng experience.

1. 2. 3. 4.
5. 6.

Travel can be tiring but rewarding. (very, extremely) You willleam about cultures. (a great deal, foreign) The problem is the language. (most, difficult, often) Travelers who don't speak the language have difficulties. (sometimes, in foreign countries) It is easier if you speak the language. (much, of the country, fluently) If you don't speak the language, however, it is helpful to know some words and phrases. (fluently, extremely, useful)

7. 8.

Travel guides to foreign countries have sections that list words and phrases. (usually, special, important) People in foreign countries are happy even if you only try to speak a few words. (usually, very, of their language)

Circle the corred word from each pair to complete the following paragraph. As you make each choice, think about why the other possibility is wrong. The first one is done as anexample. Distance and Communication
In interpersonal (communicatel1(communication)), people in almost every culture recognize four (different/ differently) distances: intimate, personal, (society / social),
2 3

and public. Intimate distance occurs in a very (clase 1closely) relationship such as 4 between a mother and a child. Personal distance lets good friends talk closely but
(comfortable/comfortably). 5 , Public distance Social distance is used at parties or other gatherings.

(concerns 1concerning) more formal situations such as between a 6

teacher and a student. These (fourth /four) types of distance exist in all countries, but the amount of dis7 tance (usual / usually) depends 8 may sit several on the culture. At a party, for example, a Canadian

feet away from you, while (al an) Arab may sit very near you. 9

(Your /Yours) awareness of the other (culturel culture's) use of distance can often help 10 11 you communicate better with (its 1it's) people. 12

Error Analysis.
Example:

The following sentences have errors in word order. Find the errors and correct them, as in the example. Many North Americans speak rapidly English. Correcton:Many North Amercans speak Englsh rapdly. 1. It is difficult often to understand Americans.

2. That Italian new student has with English some problems. 3. He went yesterday to a restaurant, but he couldn't understand the waiter. 4. The waiter spoke very rapidly English. 5. The student ate at the restaurant a hamburger. 6. He paid money too mucho 7. The waiter realized this and returned immediately the money to the student. 8. Some people always are honest, but other people take frequently advantage of

situations like that.