In languages with verb agreement, patient verb agreement appears more frequently in verb-peripheral languages [i.e. verb-initial and verb-final languages] than in verb-medial languages.
Standardized
Whenever there is verb agreement, agreement with the patient NP is likelier if basic order is verb-peripheral (i.e., verb-initial or verb-final) than if it is verb-medial.
Kanuri and Turkish have verb agreement and verb-final order but do not show patient agreement (Foster & Hofling 1987: 478, Table 2).Welsh (Celtic, IE) is verb-initial, has verb agreement but no patient agreement (Foster & Hofling 1987: 490, Table 4).
1. “The higher frequency of patient agreement in verb-lateral languages may be related to the tendency noted by Schwartz (1972: 219-220, here #1271) for a true ergative (that is, nominative-ergative as opposed to accusative-ergative) ‘view of transitivity’ to appear only in verb-lateral languages. Ergativity is quite frequent in the SOV languages of our sample. It is apparent in Pengo, Diyari, Hindi, Kiowa, Basque, Mende and possibly Quechua.” (Foster & Hofling 1987: 479-480).2. “The prevalence of patient verb agreement in both verb-initial and verb-final languages suggests that the difficulties in processing strings of NPs noted for SOV languages is present, though to a lesser degree, in verb-initial languages, and that more extensive verb agreement facilitates hearer comprehension in both cases.” (ibid.).
1. “The higher frequency of patient agreement in verb-lateral languages may be related to the tendency noted by Schwartz (1972: 219-220, here #1271) for a true ergative (that is, nominative-ergative as opposed to accusative-ergative) ‘view of transitivity’ to appear only in verb-lateral languages. Ergativity is quite frequent in the SOV languages of our sample. It is apparent in Pengo, Diyari, Hindi, Kiowa, Basque, Mende and possibly Quechua.” (Foster & Hofling 1987: 479-480).2. “The prevalence of patient verb agreement in both verb-initial and verb-final languages suggests that the difficulties in processing strings of NPs noted for SOV languages is present, though to a lesser degree, in verb-initial languages, and that more extensive verb agreement facilitates hearer comprehension in both cases.” (ibid.).