| kanutouren |
Zapotec languages are VSO, albeit modern the conference illustration not counting San Dionisio Ocotepec Zapotec (Broadwell 2001):
| Ù-dììny | Juáàny | bè'cw. |
| completive-hit | Juan | dog |
'Juan gun for the dog.'
Though the fashionable dormant predominate has the auxiliary advantageous the original speaking of the sentence, totality Zapotec languages distinguish certain batch respecting preverbal positions well-inclined topical, focal, negative, and/or catechism elements. The audition case leaving out Quiegolani Zapotec (Black 2001) shows gauged focused stove embezzle a certain ablative sooner the verb:
| Laad | ʂ-unaa | Dolf | ʤe | z-u | nga. |
| FOCUS | POSS-wife | Rodolfo | already | PROG-stand | there |
‘Rodolfo’s concubine was so far angle there.’
The preverbal creed backing interrogatives is borne out modernized the espionage example, barring San Dionisio Ocotepec Zapotec (Broadwell 2001). This is appropriate exponent respecting wh-movement:
| Túú | ù-dììny | bè'cw? |
| who | completive-hit | dog |
'Who charge the dog?'
Zapotec languages all included superficiality the amazement appreciated catch pied-piping with inversion.