Ditransitive verbs require two arguments other than the subject: (1) the theme, T, also known as the direct object of a ditransitive verb (DOditr), and (2) the recipient, R, also called the indirect object. T is not the same as the direct object of a transitive verb (DOmonotr), which is called a patient and fulfills the function P. [1] A prototypical example of a ditransitive verb is ‘give’. This parameter considers the relative[2] word order of T and R as nouns and as pronouns[3] in neutral sentences.[4]
Types:
TR: The basic ditransitive word order is TR, whether either of both items appear as nouns or pronouns.
RT: The basic ditransitive word order is RT, whether either of both items appear as nouns or pronouns.
TR+Tr+Rt+tr: When both T and R appear as nouns, their relative basic word order is TR. If one appears a pronoun, it follows the other. If both appear as pronouns, their relative basic word order is tr.
TR+Tr+Rt+rt: When both T and R appear as nouns, their relative basic word order is TR. If one appears a pronoun, it follows the other. If both appear as pronouns, their relative basic word order is rt.
TR+rT+tR+tr: When both T and R appear as nouns, their relative basic word order is TR. If one appears a pronoun, it precedes the other. If both appear as pronouns, their relative basic word order is tr.
TR+rT+tR+rt: When both T and R appear as nouns, their relative basic word order is TR. If one appears a pronoun, it precedes the other. If both appear as pronouns, their relative basic word order is rt.
RT+Tr+Rt+tr: When both T and R appear as nouns, their relative basic word order is RT. If one appears a pronoun, it follows the other. If both appear as pronouns, their relative basic word order is tr.
RT+Tr+Rt+rt: When both T and R appear as nouns, their relative basic word order is RT. If one appears a pronoun, it follows the other. If both appear as pronouns, their relative basic word order is rt.
RT+rT+tR+tr: When both T and R appear as nouns, their relative basic word order is RT. If one appears a pronoun, it precedes the other. If both appear as pronouns, their relative basic word order is tr.
RT+rT+tR+rt: When both T and R appear as nouns, their relative basic word order is RT. If one appears a pronoun, it precedes the other. If both appear as pronouns, their relative basic word order is tr.
(etc.): Other combinations can be formed based on the examples above.
When a language displays two types, both values can be listed. If one type is dominant, a slash (/) can separate the two values, with the dominant value appearing first; if neither is dominant, they are listed with an ampersand (&) separating the two.[5]
[1] Compare the sentence The boy received the money with The boy gave his father the money. In the former, the money is P; in the latter, the money is T, and the father is R.
[2] The presence of any item between T and R may be ignored.
[3] Nouns are marked as capital letters (T, R); pronouns are marked in lower case (t, r).
[4] See the criteria listed for the parameter Basic word order (S, V, O). It is particularly important that all nominal and pronominal items should be in third person. If use of the third person causes a difference in word order (as in the French je te le donne ‘I give you it’ (RT) versus je le lui donne ‘I give him/her it’ (TR)), this should be noted in the commentary.
[5] For example, the parameter value for English is TR+rT+tR+tr & RT+rT+tR+tr. In the case of two nouns, both word orders are possible (the boy gave flowers to the girl ~ the boy gave the girl flowers), but if one item is a pronoun, only one order is possible. The use of an ampersand to list two contrastive word orders may also be used in limited cases to show that no clear word order can be determined in the given context. When applicable, this should be detailed in the commentary.