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    alden-
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    The prefix alden- takes an interjection to derive universally quantified numerals or adverbs. An example is bliksem hell > aldenbliksem. The process is not productive, and the formations also show syntactic and stylistic restrictions.

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    [+]General properties

    The prefix alden- may derive universally quantifying numerals or adverbs. It takes an interjection as base, more specifically a swear word (which, as such, can be a conversion of nouns). Historically, the prefix is a univerbation of the universal quantifier al all plus an old case form of the definite article. One can therefore also find spellings as two separate words, as al den. The pattern is not productive. Examples are listed below:

    Table 1
    Base form Derivation
    bliksem lightning hell aldenbliksem
    duvel devil hell aldenduvel
    miter carcass hell aldenmiter
    deale devil hell aldendeale
    donder thunder hell aldendonder
    bliksekater hell aldenbliksekater
    divekater hell aldendivekater
    The base forms are all swear words that could be translated as hell.

    [+]Semantic properties

    Not surprisingly with its inherent component al, the prefix adds an element of universal quantification. If the output is an adverb, its meaning can be described as all the time. This is exemplified below:

    1
    a. It is dêr aldenbliksem te rêden
    it is there PREF-hell to going.on
    There is always trouble there, for Christ's sake
    b. It is aldenduvel yn ús oare lânstaal
    it is PREF-hell in our other country-language
    Time and again our other national language is used

    The derivations may also quantify a noun, with a meaning like nothing but, as in the following example:

    2
    It is hjir aldenbliksem wetter
    it is here PREF.hell water
    It is all water here, goddammit

    Both output categories have as a common feature that the quantification is strongly emphatic, without doubt due to the input's original status of interjection.

    It should be noted that derivations with alden- are in conflict with the righthand head rule: their word class is clearly not defined by the word class of the righthand part of the word.

    [+]Restrictions

    The prefix is subject to some restrictions. There is a phonological input restriction that the first syllable should be stressed. Hence, bliksem hell is allowed, but curses like ferGEmy damn or godferDOMme god-damned are not. Hence, derivations like *aldenfergemy or *aldengodferdomme do not occur.

    Syntactically, formations with alden- only occur in impersonal existential constructions like the ones exemplified above, and even then the construction is frozen. Topicalization, for instance, sounds weird:

    3
    a. ?Aldenbliksem is it dêr te rêden
    PREF-hell is it there to going.on
    b. ?Aldenbliksem wetter is it hjir
    PREF-hell water is it here

    This feature is an indication that the formations may have an origin in exclamative appositions.

    There is also a stylistic restriction, as these emphatic formations typically belong to a raw and direct style, which can likewise be traced back to the original swear word.

    [+]Phonological properties

    The prefix is pronounced as [ɔldən]. The stress in the derivations is on the first syllable of the base form, for example in aldenBLIKsem bloody hell.

    extra
    Literature

    This topic is mainly based on Hoekstra (1998:164).

    References
    • Hoekstra, Jarich1998Fryske wurdfoarmingLjouwertFryske Akademy
    About this article
    Author(s): Siebren Dyk, Gerbrich de Jong
    Category: Frisian Morphology
    Keywords: prefixinterjectionadverbnumeral
    Version: 1.0, July 2017
    Version history:
    version editor(s) date remarks
    1.0 Siebren Dyk July 2017
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