Ta Aldfrysk t(h)riuch njonken t(h)ruch 'per'

Abstract

In this short note it is claimed that Old Frisian t(h)riuch, which occurs only seven (maybe nine) times in the entire corpus is an orthographic variant of the Old Frisian preposition t(h)ruch ‘through’ and that its spelling <iu> for <u> is influenced by words with regular iu in the context (r) -- ch(t) (e.g. riucht ‘right’). Alternatively or in addition one might consider the possibility of hypercorrection: the first part of the diphthong iu ([j]) was occasionally absorbed by a preceding r (cf. spellings like frund for friund). The analysis of t(h)riuch as an ablaut-form of t(h)ruch by van Helten and others must be rejected on a priori grounds.