Taalportaal - the digital language portal

Dutch1
Frisian
Saterfrisian
Afrikaans

Show all

nij-

quickinfo

The prefix nij- (etymologically related to the adjective nij new) can form adjectives on the basis of other adjectives. The input, however, is restricted to adjectively used past participles. The formations denote the recent finishing of the action referred to by the past participle. An example is sean cooked > nijsean just cooked.

General properties
Phonological properties

[+]General properties

The prefix nij- originates from the adjective nij new, and can therefore be considered as a prefixoid. As is the case with the prefix eigen-, it only occurs with adjectively used past participles. The formations denote the recent finishing of the action referred to by the past participle. Examples are given in the table below:

Table 1

Base form	Derivation
berne born	nijberne just born
troud married	nijtroud just married
makke made	nijmakke just made
wûn harvested	nijwûn just harvested
meand mowed	nijmeand just mowed
foarme formed	nijfoarme newly formed

Although clearly related to nij new, this adjective/adverb can not appear as independent word in the related verbal constructions, cf. *ik ha de jirpels nij sean I have the potatoes new cooked. In such verbal constructions, an adverb like krekt just is called for. This is a good reason for assuming that the element nij- in phrases like de nijseane jirpels the new-cooked potatoes the newly cooked potatoes must have the status of a prefix.