Universal #1291

Legacy number: 1291

 Number  1287
 Original  The Verb-Object Bonding Principle (VOB):
The object of a transitive verb is more tightly bounded to the verb than is its subject.
 Standardized  The Verb-Object Bonding Principle (VOB):
The object of a transitive verb is more tightly bounded to the verb than is its subject.
 Keywords  order, boundedness, subject, object, transitive verb
 Domain  syntax
 Type  unconditional
 Status  achronic
 Quality  statistical
 Basis  1063 languages in Tomlin 1986 sample, see Tomlin 1986: 155-259;
 Source  Tomlin 1986: 74

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Discussion
Counterexamples
Tomlin notes that VOB does not occur in VSO or OSV languages (OSV order, according to Pullum 1977, do not exist, see #1187).
Notes
Verb-Object Bonding (VOB) relates to Tomlin’s Animated First Principle (AFP, cf. # 1290) and his Theme First Principle (TFP, cf. #382). Tomlin differentiates between universals and principles; it “should not be construed as an ‘absolute’ linguistic universal, but rather as one of a set of forces which interact to produce the distribution of the basic constituent order types.” (Tomlin 1986: 102).Based on these findings, Tomlin (1986: 124) formulates the Principle of Maximal Realization (MRP): “The ideal basic constituent order for a given verb position is one in which the three principles, AFP, TFP, and VOB are maximized.”
Comment
Frans Plank · 3 Aug 2006
Verb-Object Bonding (VOB) relates to Tomlin's Animated First Principle (AFP, cf. <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=1290"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">) and his Theme First Principle (TFP, cf. <a class="innerLink" href="browse.php?entry_id=382"><img src="../img/entry.gif" border="0">). Tomlin differentiates between universals and principles; it "should not be construed as an 'absolute' linguistic universal, but rather as one of a set of forces which interact to produce the distribution of the basic constituent order types." (Tomlin 1986: 102). Based on these findings, Tomlin 1986: 124: formulates the Principle of Maximal Realization (MRP): "The ideal basic constituent order for a given verb position is one in which the three principles, AFP, TFP, and VOB are maximized."