A direct object is a noun or pronoun that receives the action of a transitive verb in a sentence, answering the question 'what?' or 'whom?' in relation to the verb. It is essential for completing the meaning of a sentence where the verb requires an object to express a complete thought.
Word order variation refers to the differences in the sequence of words in sentences across different languages or dialects, impacting how meaning is conveyed. It is influenced by syntactic rules, cultural factors, and pragmatic considerations, and plays a crucial role in language processing and translation tasks.