What's up with the weird word order in 乞うご期待?


乞うご期待 is a set expression that means "Don't miss it!"

What's up with the weird word order? If I interpret this to really mean
ご期待を乞う, then I can't think of any other circumstance in Japanese where the
object of a main verb can _follow_ the verb.




From today's perspective, it might as well be called a sample of anastrophe.
However, not many words other than 乞う use this type of formula.

Etymologically, it comes from a specific practice in the
[漢文訓読](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanbun) tradition. There is a Chinese
verb 請 "treat" that is also used as if English "please". This "interjectory" 請
is often read out at the original place instead of brought after the object.

> 請息交以絕游  
>  請【こ】う 交【まじ】わりを息【や】めて
> 以【もっ】て游【ゆう】を絶【た】たん（[帰去来辞](https://kanbun.info/syubu/kikyorainoji.html)）
>
> 請君爲我傾耳聽  
>  請【こ】う君【きみ】
> 我【わ】が為【ため】に耳【みみ】を傾【かたむ】けて聴【き】け（[将進酒](http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/%7Eshici/rs61.htm)）

The 乞う～ expression is the remnant of this construction, normally with
homonymous 乞 instead of correct 請.




From today's perspective, it might as well be called a sample of anastrophe.
However, not many words other than 乞う use this type of formula.

Etymologically, it comes from a specific practice in the
[漢文訓読](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanbun) tradition. There is a Chinese
verb 請 "treat" that is also used as if English "please". This "interjectory" 請
is often read out at the original place instead of brought after the object.

> 請息交以絕游  
>  請【こ】う 交【まじ】わりを息【や】めて
> 以【もっ】て游【ゆう】を絶【た】たん（[帰去来辞](https://kanbun.info/syubu/kikyorainoji.html)）
>
> 請君爲我傾耳聽  
>  請【こ】う君【きみ】
> 我【わ】が為【ため】に耳【みみ】を傾【かたむ】けて聴【き】け（[将進酒](http://www5a.biglobe.ne.jp/%7Eshici/rs61.htm)）

The 乞う～ expression is the remnant of this construction, normally with
homonymous 乞 instead of correct 請.

