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Deletion of the final /r/ of verb particles

quickinfo

A particle verb is a construction in between a compound and a derivative. Most verb particles also occur as independent words. In isolation, the particle is the left-hand part of the construct. If the particle is stressed, however, it may occur separate from the verbal part, although only in main clauses. Due to this independent status, the particle must have a full vowel (which also enables it to bear stress). /r/-deletion in verb particles is the subject of this topic.

Particle verbs with an /r/-final particle and a consonant-initial verb are exemplified in (1):

Examples of particle verbs with an /r/-final particle

With foar f{oə/wa}r

foar#bine

to tie on, to put on

foar#drage

to nominate

foar#komme

to appear (in court)

foar#stean

to support, to advocate

With gear /ɡɪər/

gear#bine

to bind together, to tie together

gear#nimme

to pack together

gear#smite

to throw together

gear#wurkje

to cooperate, to work together

With oer /uər/

oer#bliuwe

be left, to remain

oer#drage

to transfer; to delegate

oer#lade

to transship

oer#sette

to take across, to take over; to translate

oer#waaie

to blow over; to drop in, to pop in

With wer /vɛr/

wer#bringe

to bring back, to take back

wer#fine

to find again

wer#jaan

to reproduce; to give back

wer#sjen

to meet again, to see again

With wjer /vjɛr/

wjer#keatse

to reverberate, to (re-)echo

wjer#klinke

to resound

wjer#lizze

to refute

wjer#spegelje

to reflect

wjer#stean

to resist

Deletion of particle-final /r/ is optional here, no matter whether /r/ is preceded by a short vowel or a long vocalic sequence and irrespective of the quality of the following consonant.

extra

In case the verb is /r/-initial − as with gear#rane /ɡɪər+ra:nə/ [ɡɪəra:nə] to fuse together, to amalgamate and oer#rinne /uər+rɪnə/ [uərɪnə] to flow over, to overflow− one [r] remains. This is due to degemination.

The particles ending in /-ər/ deserve some comment. They are exemplified in (2):

Examples of particle verbs with an /ər/-final particle

With efter /ɛftər/

efter#bliuwe

to stay behind

efter#sitte

to chase, to pursue

With ûnder /undər/

ûnder#bringe

to accommodate

ûnder#freegje

to interrogate

ûnder#skiede

to distinguish

ûnder#tekenje

to sign

ûnder#wize

to teach, to instruct

These particles are generally realized with a syllabic /r/ ( [r̩]), which cannot delete (see the phonological behaviour of syllabic sonorant consonants).

extra

In case the particle is followed by an /r/-initial stem, as with efter#rinne /ɛftər#rɪnə/ be slow; lag behind and ûnder#rinne /undər#rɪnə/ be flooded, only one of the two underlying /r/ s reaches the surface: [ɛftərɪnə] and [undərɪnə]. This single [r] can only be ascribed to degemination. Double consonants are forbidden in Frisian. Segmentally speaking, a syllabic consonant is just a consonant. This means that the constraint against double consonants is violated by a sequence of a syllabic and a non-syllabic /r/, a sequence which would be the result of the syllabification of /r/ in ûnder and efter here: [ɛftər̩rɪnə] and [undər̩rɪnə]. Since a syllabic consonant cannot delete, syllabification produces an ill-formed and irreparable outcome. The inapplicability of syllabification in this context thus leaves room for degemination to tackle the double /r/ in /ɛftərrɪnə/ and /undərrɪnə/.

References

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About this article

Author(s): Willem Visser

Category: Frisian Phonology

Keywords: /r/-deletion/r/-final verb particle

Version: 1.0, December 2015

Version history:

version	editor(s)	date	remarks
1.0	Willem Visser	December 2015

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