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    -resom
    quickinfo

    The suffix -resom can be used to derive numerals on the base of another numeral, for example: trije three > trijeresom with the three of us, threesome and fjouwer four > fjouweresom with the four of us, forsome.

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    The suffix -resom creates numerals on the base of other numerals. Examples are given below:

    Table 1
    Base form Derivation
    twa two twaresom with the two of us
    seis six seisresom with the six of us
    sân seven sânresom with the seven of us
    njoggen nine njoggenresom with the nine of us
    tsien ten tsienresom with the ten of us
    tolve twelve tolfresom with the twelve of us
    The lower numbers (one, two, three etcetera) are more common as base than the higher numbers (thirteen, fifty, etcetera).

    The suffix -resom [rəsom] is restricted mainly to written language. The suffix can be used to define the size of the group: trijeresom in/with a group of three. An example is:

    1
    Wy gienen trijeresom nei it feest
    we went three-SUFF to the party
    The three of us went to the party

    The suffix has a variant without initial /r/, as -esom, for example in fivesom, sânesom or achtesom, respectively derived from the numbers fiif five, sân seven and acht eight.

    extra
    Origin

    According to Tamminga (1973:159), the suffix -som, which we find in the examples above, is the same as the suffix -sum in examples like iensum lonely, redsum skilful and streksum nutritious.

    This, however, is criticized by Buma (1974:93) who states that the element som developed from Old Frisian sum, which occurs in forms like twirasum, thrirasum, fiuwerasum, sexasum etcetera. Compare also Old English forms like preora sum, feowra sum, sixa sum, eahta sum etcetera, and Modern English twosome, threesome or foursome. Buma states that the Old English and Old Frisian element sum can be seen as an indefinite pronoun, meaning someone, a certain one, one, which has nothing to do with the suffix -sum as suggested by Tamminga. Buma notes that the denotation of these derivations has changed over time. In Old Frisian, a derivation like tuelewasum meant one of the twelve. Later on, it meant with eleven others, where Modern Frisian tolfresom has the meaning with the twelve of us.

    extra
    Literature

    This topic is based on Tamminga (1973:158-160) and Buma (1974:93-94).

    References
    • Buma, Wybren J1974Nijfrysk trijeresomUs Wurk2393-94
    • Buma, Wybren J1974Nijfrysk trijeresomUs Wurk2393-94
    • Tamminga, Douwe Annes1973Op 'e taelhelling. Losse trochsneden fan Frysk taellibben. IIA.J. Osinga
    • Tamminga, Douwe Annes1973Op 'e taelhelling. Losse trochsneden fan Frysk taellibben. IIA.J. Osinga
    About this article
    Author(s): Siebren Dyk, Joke Weening
    Category: Frisian Morphology
    Keywords: suffixnumeral
    Version: 1.0, March 2016
    Version history:
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    1.0 Siebren Dyk, Joke Weening March 2016
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