Oer it ûntstean en de struktuer fan 'e 19de-ieusk Nijfryske konstruksje it drok praten hawwe
Abstract
In this article I discuss the development and the structure of the l9th century Modern West Frisian construction it drok praten hawwe 'be engaged in lively conversation (lit. it busy talking have)'. My contention will be that the
construction is a contamination of two other constructions, viz. it drok hawwe 'be busy (lit. it busy have)' and drok praten hawwe 'be engaged in lively conversation (lit. busy talking have)'. I will show that the fusion of these constructions must have involved a structural reanalysis. The resulting syntactic configuration can also be found in another construction type in Modern West Frisian, the one exemplified by sentences like it is moai wenjen op 'e Lemmer 'it is nice to live in Lemmer (lit. it is nice living in Lemmer)'.
