How to Speak English...Like Yoda!

May the 4th be with you! Today is International Star Wars Day*

You can celebrate by amusing and annoying your friends by speaking like the little green Jedi master. First, here are some simple quotes that show Yoda's interesting use of language:

1. Powerful you have become.
2. Patience you must have.
3. A teacher Yoda is.

So what is Yoda doing with English grammar? He is simply moving the complement from the end of the clause to the start of the clause:

Normal English

You	have	become	powerful
Subject	Finite	Predicator	Complement

Yoda's English

Powerful	you	have	become
Complement	Subject	Finite	Predicator

Normal English

You	must	have	patience
Subject	Finite	Predicator	Complement

Yoda's English

Patience	you	must	have
Complement	Subject	Finite	Predicator

Simple, right?
But there's one more thing to remember when you talk like Yoda. The complement always takes the sentence stress - even if it (strangely) comes at the start:

you have become POWerful.
POWerful you have become.
you must have PAtience.
PAtience you must have.
yoda is a TEACHer.
a TEACHer yoda is.

So now you know how to speak like Yoda.

You can see some more great Yoda quotes here.

Only #10 and #9 follow the pattern I have shown you in this blog (master Yoda seems to be inconsistent with his style).

To learn more about this kind of grammar, this video you should watch.


* This blog was first published at a different domain on May 4th, 2017.