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-(t)me

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The unproductive suffix -(t)me is closely related to -te, although they are not completely interchangeable. Both are used to derive nouns from adjectives. Where the derivations with -te are normal (though unproductive) in the oral and written language, -(t)me exclusively belongs to the written language and elevated style. Examples are sykte/syktme illness (< siik ill) or stilte/stiltme silence (< stil silent). In most cases, the form with -(t)me has an abstract or majestic meaning. It cannot be used as a noun indicating a measure.

General properties
History and use
Semantic properties
Phonological properties

[+]General properties

Although the origin of the suffix has to be sought in Old Frisian -ma, in most attestations we now see the insertion of /t/, hence -tme as the commonest form of the suffix. We still find -me in brekme lack and brûkme custom, which might not be a coincidence since the Old Frisian suffix -ma primarily had a verbal base. For stems ending in /t/, it cannot be decided whether we have the variant -tme or -me, for instance in grutme greatness. Although the orthography always shows a single <t>, this is not decisive.

The suffix -(t)me is used in a fixed number of words. The largest category is formed by nouns with an adjectival base:

Table 1

Adjectival base	Derivation with -(t)me
drok busy	droktme activity, overcrowding
grut big	grutme greatness
kâld cold	kjeltme coldness
koel cool	kuoltme chilliness
siik ill	syktme illness
skien beautiful, pure	skjintme beauty
sterk strong	sterktme power
stil silent	stiltme silence

Next to these derivations with an adjectival base, there are forms based on nouns:

Table 2

Nominal base	Derivation with -(t)me
berch mountain	berchtme mountains
sjocht illness	sjochtme illness
slachte gender	slachtme gender

The nominal base itself may also be a nominalization of a verb:

Table 3

Verbal base	Nominalization	Derivation with -(t)me
brekke to break	brek shortage	brekme shortage
eangje to be afraid of	eang-st fear	eangstme fear
brûke to use	gebrûk custom	brûkme custom
langje to desire	lang-st derire	langstme desire

Here we see derivations with the suffix -st and a conversion of verb to noun in the case of brek. The idea of the form gebrûk as a base for a derivation with -(t)me may be somewhat controversial.

[+]History and use

Whereas in Oldfrisian -ma, the predecessor of -(t)me, was a common suffix, it was ousted from the oral language during the 17th century. Nowadays, words ending in -(t)me exclusively belong to the written language, most of the times as stylistic variant of -te. "Most of the times", since not all of the examples given above have equivalents in -te. The nouns with an adjectival base all have it, and the derivations of -(t)me in these cases are merely a stylistic strengthening of their equivalents ending in -te. The same effect is at play with respect to the derivations of a nominal base.

These days, -tme is more and more under pressure of the suffixes -te and -heid or -ens, but also of the prefix ge- (for instance slachtme gender versus geslacht gender).

[+]Semantic properties

In the previous section it was noted that not every derivation of -(t)me has an equivalent in -te. Likewise, not all the derivations of -te have equivalents in -(t)me. This follows from a restriction on derivations of -(t)me: they have to be abstract. Words like grutme greatness, droktme activity, overcrowding, brûkme custom and syktme illness are used in a ceremonial context or in the most general meaning. To illustrate the contrast, Sytstra (1931:93) gives the following examples:

De greatte fen in pounsmiet

the size of a pounsmiet

The size of a pounsmiet (= Frisian square measure)

Gods greatme yn de natûr

God's greatness in the nature

Ik scil der gjin gebrûk fen meitsje

I will there no use of make

I will not use it

De seden en brûkmen der âlde Friezen

the traditions and customs the.GEN old Frisians

The traditions and customs of the old Frisians

Der is in nije sykte opkommen

there is a new disease emerged

A new disease has emerged

Yn tiden fen syktme rekket men wol ris oan it neitinken

in times of sickness reckons one well once on the thinking

In times of sickness, one sometimes starts to think

The examples above show that the derivations of -(t)me in the b-sentences are used in a solemn context (Gods greatme God's greatness) or indicate a general concept (brûkmen customs or syktme sickness). The following example shows that -(t)me cannot be used as a variant for a concrete, measurable derivation of -te:

De breedte fan dizze planke is tsien sintimeter

the width of this shelf is ten centimeter

The width of this shelf is ten centimeters

*De breedtme fan dizze planke is tsien sintimeter

the width of this shelf is ten centimeter

The width of this shelf is ten centimeters

[+]Phonological properties

The suffix -(t)me follows stressed monosyllabic adjectives: SYKtme illness, STERKtme power, DROKtme activity, overcrowding. The suffix does not change the stress pattern of the base form. The suffix may cause breaking of the stem vowel: koel [ku.əl] cool > kuoltme [kṷoltmə] coolness and skien [ski.ən] beautiful, pure > skjintme [skjɪntmə] beauty.

As in derivations with -te, derivations with -(t)me are always common nouns. They therefore take the definite article de. The plural form ends in -en, for instance syktmen illnesses. The newly formed nouns do not allow diminutives: *syktmetsje illness-DIM small illness. In case of compounds, the assumption is that the derivations of -te are preferred to the derivations of -(t)me: syktefersom/?syktmefersom sickness absence.