7.1 Basic Word Order

The syntax of Tailaa is head-initial, with adjectives and almost all modifiers and similar particles appearing following the modified entity, though it is not strictly so, with most common order being subject-object-verb, and generally utilizing postpositions (though some prepositions exist). Since Tailaa is a highly inflected language, word order within sentences can be quite free. Unlike in some languages where order typically indicates the function of a noun as either subject or object, in Tailaa sentences, however, the role of the noun is determined not by word order or sentence structure but by case markings which indicate role. The most usual neutral order, however, is subject-object-verb, for example:

Löcii väuiu ysscä o
dog man-ACC bite-PAST WIT
'A/the dog bit a/the man'

A verb and a subject, are obligatory in a canonical clause (though singular pronouns may be dropped, this still functions as a subject). Here löcii ('dog') is in the nominative form but väuiö ('man') is marked as object by the case marked form väuiu. This sentence is a bald statement of fact. The variation from base subject-object-verb order is done for information structure, emphasis, emphatic focus, or for poetic reasons, though this isn't systematized. Topicalization changes the emphasis slightly but not the fundamental meaning of the sentence:

Ysscä o löcii väuiu
bite-PAST WIT dog man-ACC
'Biting, is what a/the dog did to a/the man' (not any other action)

This form is mostly used to answer a question. For example, to answer the question Löcii väuiu ysscönä cäu ti? 'Did a/the dog bite a/the man?' However, this could even be applied to a question phrase to mark the asker specifically questioning concerning if the dog did indeed bite (not any other action) the man, such as Ysscönä cäu löcii väuiu ti? 'Is biting what the dog did to the man?' A similar fronting could be done with the object:

Väuiu löcii ysscä o
man-ACC dog bite-PAST WIT
'A/the man, a/the dog bit' (the dog didn't bite any other thing)

This form is separate semantically and grammatically from the passive, as that would take the form Väuius ciidaser ysscövuo o meaning literally "A/the man was bitten from a/the dog'. This form functions similarly to the previous, but focusing upon väuiö. This remains similar for intransitive phrases: Löcii ysscä o 'A/the dog bit' in contrast to Ysscä o löcii 'Bite a/the dog did'

Beyond simple subject-object-verb Adpositional phrases go after the direct object in general word order, as shown below:

Löcii väuiu sycasnies tai ysscä o
dog man-ACC stomach-3.SG.POSS-ADD near bite-PAST WIT
'A/the dog bit a/the man near his stomach'

Likewise, the adpositional phrase could be fronted:

Sycasnies tai löcii väuiu ysscä o
stomach-3.SG.POSS-ADD near dog man-ACC bite-PAST WIT
'Near his stomach a/the dog bit a/the man' (not anywhere else)

Though the order of phrases may be switched around for different emphasis, variation of order within a single phrase, say the noun phrase or verb phrase, is rare, thus mood and evidentiality particles are rarely moved around within the verb phrase, e.g., being fronted in front of the verbal root, for example.

Interrogatives, negation, imperatives, and most other forms don't generally change the word order. For example, with a neutral sentence, you can add particles that mark a polar interrogative sentence without changing word order:

Löcii väuiu ysscä säu ti?
dog man-ACC bite-PAST COND INT
'Did a/the dog bite a/the man?'

Or with an interrogative pronoun replacing the subject:

Syu väuiu ysscä vä?
what man-ACC bite-PAST COND
'What bit a/the man?'

Or with a negation particle:

Löcii väuiu ysscä vää o
dog man-ACC bite-PAST NEG WIT
'A/the dog did not bite a/the man'

Or with the directive mood:

Löcii väuiu ysscö ulä
dog man-ACC bite DIR
'A/the dog must bite a/the man'

Or with negation and directive mood:

Löcii väuiu ysscö vää ulä
dog man-ACC bite NEG DIR
'A/the dog must not bite a/the man'

Or with an interrogative pronoun, negation, and directive mood:

Suo väuiu ysscö vää ulä vä?
what man-ACC bite NEG DIR COND
'What must not bite a/the man?'

7.2 Phrase Order

7.2.1 Noun Phrases

Noun phrases and verb phrases have specific orderings of suffixes and other functors that they follow when inflected. In Tailaa, the root begins the phrase, followed by derivational suffixes, possessive suffixes, then inflectional suffixes: class, case, and number in that order. Following the word, an NP may include, in this order, an adjective, numeral or quantifier, relative clause, demonstrative, genitive noun, and adposition, either ending or beginning the phrase depending on type, Tailaa having both prepositions and postpositions, lexically specified. For example, take the noun preille inflected as such:

preilianiaanüta siyliaa ai prieveauil e cvaa
flower-PLACENZ-1.SG.POSS-II-PL-ELA beautiful-II-PL REL grow-PERF-PAST-1.SG WIT beyond
'beyond my beautiful flower-fields that I had grown'

a preiliaana edynn söldö ai vunno uo yr
about flower-DIM-II-PL-ABL small-II-PART many REL create-PAST NWIT DEM.PROX.NSG
'about many of these small flowers that he/she made'

As aforementioned, the order of these phrases rarely or never changes, and doing so is generally considered grammatically incorrect.

7.2.2 Verb Phrases

Like noun phrases, verb phrases have orderings for suffixes and functors for conjugation and such. The root begins the phrase, followed by derivational suffixes, then inflectional suffixes: aspect, tense, and agreement in that order. Following the word, a VP includes, in this order, adverbs, mood particles, and evidential particles. For example, take the noun nerie inflected as such:

neriesaiauil palnnilö eta e
sleep-CESS-PERF-FUT-1.SG fast-ADVZ DYN WIT
'I will attempt to quickly stop sleeping'

nerienanim liellö ila ie
sleep-INCH-PROG-PAST-2.SG tired-ADVZ-2.SG DIR NWIT
'You were having to begin tiredly leaving'

There also exists a notable distinction in Tailaa copulas, as there are two verbal roots functioning as a copula, i.e., vi and taa. The first, vi, referes to qualities inherent to the object, or what something is, and descended from a verb also functioning as a copula. It also is used for a derivational form encliticized as an ending of a verb to mark the passive voice (cf. 4 Verbs § 4.5 Derivations § 4.5.1 Complex Derivations § Passives). It is an irregular verb. However, taa refers to qualities, locations, or conditions transient or impermanent, and is not irregular, descending from an older verb for "to stand". For example:

Preille y iina vi e
flower DEM.PROX.SG red is.PRES.3.SG WIT
'This flower is red'

Tolääuo vi ie
die-PASTPART is.PRES.3.SG INFER
'He is dead'

Tieare taal e
happy red is-1.SG WIT
'I am happy'

Ilvies ryn siair tie
hot DEM.OBSC.SG is-PAST
'That weather was hot'

7.3 Clause Types

7.3.1 Relative Clauses and Complements

In Tailaa, relative clauses are introduced by a relativizer, the conjunction particle ai that marks the beginning of the relative clause. The particle ai is also used to mark the beginning of a complement, e.g., an excerpt of speech, thought, or a content clause.

For example, 'the fox whom saw me' would be formed with the relativizer, thus forming smea ai airil tar. Relative clauses can also be formed with locative phrases: 'that fox at the river' would be smea ai saiaam se. Similar phrases can be formed via a copulative verb relativized: Valiranin ai Ylcönynäuä i Veintariellesi 'Great King, [whom is the] Conqueror of the Mountainlands'. Likewise, it is used for complements, like speech:

Smea ai iina vi salta
fox REL red is.3.SG.PRE say-PAST
'A/the fox said that it is red'

Or thought and or knowledge:

Smea ai iina vi pouto
fox REL red is.3.SG.PRE know
'A/the fox knows that it is red'

7.3.2 Directives and Hortatives

The directive and hortative mood (cf. 4 Verbs § 4.6 Mood) are two moods in Tailaa that verbs may be declined for that are marked via the particle ila and lea respectively. The directive marks a general required or needed action, and the hortative (which functions similarly to an optative) marks a polite request, or something that is hoped or wished to happen. The jussive and imperative fall under these.

As aforementioned, these separate types of clause do not affect word order. For example:

Liriani lialil er ila
song-II-PL-ACC sing-1.SG one.ORD DIR
'I must first sing songs'

Or with the hortative, in contrast:

Liriani lialil er lea
song-II-PART-ACC sing-1.SG one.ORD OPT
'May I first sing songs'

7.3.3 Conditionals and Interrogatives

The conditional mood is a mood in Tailaa that is used to mark a conditional statement. It is often used with the conjunction io 'then, so, thus' to form a conditional statement, for example:

Tenti öccuisä säu, io lirianes lialil er ila
food-ACC eat-FUT-1.NSG COND, so song-II-PL-ACC sing-1.SG one.ORD DIR
'If we will eat food, [then] I must first sing songs'

It may also be used with conjunction siyr 'unless, if not' for negative conditional clauses:

Paica tenti öccuisä säu, io lirianes lialil er ila
unless food-ACC eat-FUT-1.NSG COND, so song-II-ACC sing-1.SG one.ORD DIR
'Unless we will eat food, I must first sing songs'

Aside from forming conditional statements, the conditional mood is also used to mark verbs in interrogative phrases (cf. 6 Function Words § 6.4 Interrogatives). For example, with the polar interrogative ti:

Liriani lialasaa sai ti
song-II-PL-ACC sing-HAB-1.SG COND INT
'Do I sing songs?'

Or with interrogative pronouns, which are in basic word order placed in-situ (though as aforementioned, any phrase can be topicalized):

Süsiö liriani lialasa sai
who song-II-PL-ACC sing-HAB COND
'Who sings songs?'