# Word order: Kun je ook naar dvd's kijken op deze computer?



## Dalieux

My grammar book states that in clauses containing a modal verb, the verb in infinitive comes at the end of the clause, after every element.

Having said that, I've come across "*Kun* je ook naar dvd's *kijken* op deze computer?". To my understanding, the prepositional phrase "op deze computer" is an integral part of the clause, so I wonder why it's not instead "*Kun* je ook naar dvd's op deze computer *kijken*?".

Are both examples possible? If so, I must assume there are exceptions to the "verb in infinitive goes to the end of the clause" rule.


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## eno2

Grammar is not my  forte. So I can't explain it but I can say this:
Kun je ook naar dvd's kijken op deze computer?" 
Kun je op deze computer  ook naar dvd's kijken?
Kun je op deze computer  ook kijken naar dvd's ?  
Kun je ook naar dvd's op deze computer kijken?  
Kun je ook kijken naar dvd's op deze computer? 
Kun je ook kijken  op deze computer naar dvd's?  
And even, with the right intonation to make it sound as a question:
Op deze computer kun je ook naar dvd's kijken?


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## Dalieux

eno2 said:


> Kun je ook naar dvd's op deze computer kijken?



So the alternative I imagined would be correct is actually wrong. It seems as though the "naar DVD's" and "kijken" elements must be placed next to each other, otherwise it doesn't sound natural.

However, "Kun je even het raam voor me openen?" has the elements "het raam" and "openen" separated by the prepositional phrase "voor me", and I know this sentence is correct because it's in my grammar book.

So I stand confused... is there any good grammatical reason for
Kun je ook *naar dvd's* *op deze computer* *kijken*?  
Kun je even *het raam* *voor me* *openen*? 
?


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## Peterdg

I do not agree with eno2's .

In my opinion, all the sentences he mentionned are correct.


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## eno2

That's why I used  and not 
It's not  but it sounds bad to my ears. 

Originally I wrote comment  without using  or  : "To me it doesn't sound good*, i*t's probably not correct".
But go ahead, I'd never say it that way. Especially not the second one 

And as the accents are different, the meaning can shift too and be slightly different.

@Dalieux: As we all know, unfortunately you can't explain everything with rules and grammar. And as I said: I'm no grammar buff.

Anyhow, If Peterdg is right, everything goes, all variants.. The second sentence has also 4 possible placements  of VOOR ME.  . . Everything goes.... Even 'even' can  take other places....


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## Dalieux

Thanks for the clarification, I also had interpreted the thumbs down as an "incorrect".


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## eno2

The word order is very  loose. But as (almost) everything is 'good' in these  cases, it should't be a problem...


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## ThomasK

_(a) Kun je ook *naar dvd's* *op deze computer* *kijken*?
(b) Kun je even *het raam* *voor me* *openen*?_

(a) is strange because you put a place/instrumental ADV in front of the verb, thereby splitting up a prep. phrase and the inf. it refers to.
_(a) Kun je ook *op deze computer naar dvd's* *kijken*?_
(a) might not be quite impossible if your prep.obj. were "dvd's op deze computer", but that is an unlikely interpretation.

(b) is fine, if not perfect, but certainly in Flanders we prefer the "natural" word order with the IO outside V + catapult-V... Certainly in informal contexts we often say: "Ik zal het doen vandaag", whereas grammatically "Ik zal het vandaag doen" is correct.


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## Peterdg

ThomasK said:


> word order with the IO outside V + catapult-V...


  
What does this mean??????


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## ThomasK

Bijvoorbeeld: Ik zal het geven aan jou... 

"Ik *zal* (pv) het *geven* (katapult-V) *aan jou *( IO, indirect object/ meewerkend voorwerp - dat ik hier buiten de tang (pv --- katapult-V) heb gezet).


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