SOV: Why is this the most popular word order across languages?

When languages around the world build a basic sentence, 43% arrange the words this way: subject - object - verb. Who does this? (Hint: not English!) How is it unique? Why is it so popular?

Subscribe for more: https://www.youtube.com/subscription_...
Become my patron:   / nativlang  
Check my sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1r...

~ Briefly, with spoilers ~

Today we learn the characteristics of SOV and figure out why it's the #1 word order. Along the way we'll cover:
- SOV's superlatives across history, geography, thought
- a feel for V (verb) final languages, using a garden path sentence
- roles: SOV as Agent-Patient-Action
- flexibility even within SOV languages
- cues: meaning, case marking, word order
- SOV as the "language of thought"
- animacy and (non-)reversible sentences
- an underlying human-inanimate-action order
- how removing family and area bias boosts SOV at the expense of SVO
- colonialism and the (future?) spread of SVO

Art, animation and music by me. I've written up a sources document for claims made and for pics, sfx, fonts:
Sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1r...

Continuing the call from my OSV video, here are groups to support:
Support: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W...