Ta de ferlytsingswurden en tiidwurden op -je

Abstract

In Modern West Frisian there is an interesting phonological opposition between [x] and [γ] in e.g. eachje 'eye' (dim.) and eagje 'eye' (inf.). In both cases the suffix is [j«]. There is also an opposition between paadsje [pa:tsj«] path' (dim.) and paadzje [pa:dzj«] (inf. from paad path'). The view is here presented that such facts cannot be satisfactorily explained with the help of synchronic phonology, though they can evidently be described quite easily. The explanation is to be sought in the history of the language. Thus the voicelessness of [x] in eachje is explained by the assumption that the diminutive suffix [j«] derives from former [tj«]. In this way description and explanation are separated and the use of underlying abstract representations is made superfluous.