WHAT ELEMENT-ORDER IN BASQUE SENTENCES DO WE PROMOTE AT THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM?

Abstract

This article deals with the order of the elements of the sentence in Euskera and the so-called rear-burden, which is the effect produced by the tendency to place key-elements for message-processing towards the end of the sentence, thus delaying or preventing its understanding at first reading. It analyses the behaviour of a sample of 101 teachers from 21 Baccalaureate centres in the Basque Autonomous Community, who are presented with 24 sentences of a certain extent with their elements organized in three different sequences and are asked to order them according to their own criteria.Results confirm a noticeable preference of respondents for word-orders with a high rear-burden which is interpreted as compatible with the idea of an evolution being occurring on the matter. As a conclusion it is suggested that it is necessary to delve into the study of the order of the elements in Basque sentence in order to increase its communicative efficiency and for its adequate developing in an increasingly multilingual environment