- Dutch
- Frisian
- Saterfrisian
- Afrikaans
-
- Phonology
- Segment inventory
- Phonotactics
- Phonological processes
- Phonology-morphology interface
- Word stress
- Primary stress in simplex words
- Monomorphemic words
- Diachronic aspects
- Generalizations on stress placement
- Default penultimate stress
- Lexical stress
- The closed penult restriction
- Final closed syllables
- The diphthong restriction
- Superheavy syllables (SHS)
- The three-syllable window
- Segmental restrictions
- Phonetic correlates
- Stress shifts in loanwords
- Quantity-sensitivity
- Secondary stress
- Vowel reduction in unstressed syllables
- Stress in complex words
- Primary stress in simplex words
- Accent & intonation
- Clitics
- Spelling
- Morphology
- Word formation
- Compounding
- Nominal compounds
- Verbal compounds
- Adjectival compounds
- Affixoids
- Coordinative compounds
- Synthetic compounds
- Reduplicative compounds
- Phrase-based compounds
- Elative compounds
- Exocentric compounds
- Linking elements
- Separable complex verbs (SCVs)
- Gapping of complex words
- Particle verbs
- Copulative compounds
- Derivation
- Numerals
- Derivation: inputs and input restrictions
- The meaning of affixes
- Non-native morphology
- Cohering and non-cohering affixes
- Prefixation
- Suffixation
- Nominal suffixation: person nouns
- Conversion
- Pseudo-participles
- Bound forms
- Nouns
- Nominal prefixes
- Nominal suffixes
- -aal and -eel
- -aar
- -aard
- -aat
- -air
- -aris
- -ast
- Diminutives
- -dom
- -een
- -ees
- -el (nominal)
- -elaar
- -enis
- -er (nominal)
- -erd
- -erik
- -es
- -eur
- -euse
- ge...te
- -heid
- -iaan, -aan
- -ief
- -iek
- -ier
- -ier (French)
- -ière
- -iet
- -igheid
- -ij and allomorphs
- -ijn
- -in
- -ing
- -isme
- -ist
- -iteit
- -ling
- -oir
- -oot
- -rice
- -schap
- -schap (de)
- -schap (het)
- -sel
- -st
- -ster
- -t
- -tal
- -te
- -voud
- Verbs
- Adjectives
- Adverbs
- Univerbation
- Neo-classical word formation
- Construction-dependent morphology
- Morphological productivity
- Compounding
- Inflection
- Inflection and derivation
- Allomorphy
- The interface between phonology and morphology
- Word formation
- Syntax
- Preface and acknowledgements
- Verbs and Verb Phrases
- 1 Characterization and classification
- 2 Projection of verb phrases I:Argument structure
- 3 Projection of verb phrases II:Verb frame alternations
- Introduction
- 3.1. Main types
- 3.2. Alternations involving the external argument
- 3.3. Alternations of noun phrases and PPs
- 3.3.1. Dative/PP alternations (dative shift)
- 3.3.1.1. Dative alternation with aan-phrases (recipients)
- 3.3.1.2. Dative alternation with naar-phrases (goals)
- 3.3.1.3. Dative alternation with van-phrases (sources)
- 3.3.1.4. Dative alternation with bij-phrases (possessors)
- 3.3.1.5. Dative alternation with voor-phrases (benefactives)
- 3.3.1.6. Conclusion
- 3.3.1.7. Bibliographical notes
- 3.3.2. Accusative/PP alternations
- 3.3.3. Nominative/PP alternations
- 3.3.1. Dative/PP alternations (dative shift)
- 3.4. Some apparent cases of verb frame alternation
- 3.5. Bibliographical notes
- 4 Projection of verb phrases IIIa:Selection of clauses/verb phrases
- 5 Projection of verb phrases IIIb:Argument and complementive clauses
- Introduction
- 5.1. Finite argument clauses
- 5.2. Infinitival argument clauses
- 5.3. Complementive clauses
- 6 Projection of verb phrases IIIc:Complements of non-main verbs
- 7 Projection of verb phrases IIId:Verb clusters
- 8 Projection of verb phrases IV: Adverbial modification
- 9 Word order in the clause I:General introduction
- 10 Word order in the clause II:Position of the finite verb (verb-first/second)
- 11 Word order in the clause III:Clause-initial position (wh-movement)
- Introduction
- 11.1. The formation of V1- and V2-clauses
- 11.2. Clause-initial position remains (phonetically) empty
- 11.3. Clause-initial position is filled
- 12 Word order in the clause IV:Postverbal field (extraposition)
- 13 Word order in the clause V: Middle field (scrambling)
- 14 Main-clause external elements
- Nouns and Noun Phrases
- 1 Characterization and classification
- 2 Projection of noun phrases I: complementation
- Introduction
- 2.1. General observations
- 2.2. Prepositional and nominal complements
- 2.3. Clausal complements
- 2.4. Bibliographical notes
- 3 Projection of noun phrases II: modification
- Introduction
- 3.1. Restrictive and non-restrictive modifiers
- 3.2. Premodification
- 3.3. Postmodification
- 3.3.1. Adpositional phrases
- 3.3.2. Relative clauses
- 3.3.3. Infinitival clauses
- 3.3.4. A special case: clauses referring to a proposition
- 3.3.5. Adjectival phrases
- 3.3.6. Adverbial postmodification
- 3.4. Bibliographical notes
- 4 Projection of noun phrases III: binominal constructions
- Introduction
- 4.1. Binominal constructions without a preposition
- 4.2. Binominal constructions with a preposition
- 4.3. Bibliographical notes
- 5 Determiners: articles and pronouns
- Introduction
- 5.1. Articles
- 5.2. Pronouns
- 5.3. Bibliographical notes
- 6 Numerals and quantifiers
- 7 Pre-determiners
- Introduction
- 7.1. The universal quantifier al 'all' and its alternants
- 7.2. The pre-determiner heel 'all/whole'
- 7.3. A note on focus particles
- 7.4. Bibliographical notes
- 8 Syntactic uses of noun phrases
- Adjectives and Adjective Phrases
- 1 Characteristics and classification
- 2 Projection of adjective phrases I: Complementation
- 3 Projection of adjective phrases II: Modification
- 4 Projection of adjective phrases III: Comparison
- 5 Attributive use of the adjective phrase
- 6 Predicative use of the adjective phrase
- 7 The partitive genitive construction
- 8 Adverbial use of the adjective phrase
- 9 Participles and infinitives: their adjectival use
- 10 Special constructions
- Adpositions and adpositional phrases
- 1 Characteristics and classification
- Introduction
- 1.1. Characterization of the category adposition
- 1.2. A formal classification of adpositional phrases
- 1.3. A semantic classification of adpositional phrases
- 1.3.1. Spatial adpositions
- 1.3.2. Temporal adpositions
- 1.3.3. Non-spatial/temporal prepositions
- 1.4. Borderline cases
- 1.5. Bibliographical notes
- 2 Projection of adpositional phrases: Complementation
- 3 Projection of adpositional phrases: Modification
- 4 Syntactic uses of the adpositional phrase
- 5 R-pronominalization and R-words
- 1 Characteristics and classification
- Phonology
-
- General
- Phonology
- Segment inventory
- Phonotactics
- Phonological Processes
- Assimilation
- Vowel nasalization
- Syllabic sonorants
- Final devoicing
- Fake geminates
- Vowel hiatus resolution
- Vowel reduction introduction
- Schwa deletion
- Schwa insertion
- /r/-deletion
- d-insertion
- {s/z}-insertion
- t-deletion
- Intrusive stop formation
- Breaking
- Vowel shortening
- h-deletion
- Replacement of the glide w
- Word stress
- Clitics
- Allomorphy
- Orthography of Frisian
- Morphology
- Inflection
- Word formation
- Derivation
- Prefixation
- Infixation
- Suffixation
- Nominal suffixes
- Verbal suffixes
- Adjectival suffixes
- Adverbial suffixes
- Numeral suffixes
- Interjectional suffixes
- Onomastic suffixes
- Conversion
- Compositions
- Derivation
- Syntax
- Verbs and Verb Phrases
- Characteristics and classification
- Unergative and unaccusative subjects
- Evidentiality
- To-infinitival clauses
- Predication and noun incorporation
- Ellipsis
- Imperativus-pro-Infinitivo
- Expression of irrealis
- Embedded Verb Second
- Agreement
- Negation
- Nouns & Noun Phrases
- Classification
- Complementation
- Modification
- Partitive noun constructions
- Referential partitive constructions
- Partitive measure nouns
- Numeral partitive constructions
- Partitive question constructions
- Nominalised quantifiers
- Kind partitives
- Partitive predication with prepositions
- Bare nominal attributions
- Articles and names
- Pronouns
- Quantifiers and (pre)determiners
- Interrogative pronouns
- R-pronouns
- Syntactic uses
- Adjective Phrases
- Characteristics and classification
- Complementation
- Modification and degree quantification
- Comparison by degree
- Comparative
- Superlative
- Equative
- Attribution
- Agreement
- Attributive adjectives vs. prenominal elements
- Complex adjectives
- Noun ellipsis
- Co-occurring adjectives
- Predication
- Partitive adjective constructions
- Adverbial use
- Participles and infinitives
- Adposition Phrases
- Characteristics and classification
- Complementation
- Modification
- Intransitive adpositions
- Predication
- Preposition stranding
- Verbs and Verb Phrases
-
- General
- Morphology
- Morphology
- 1 Word formation
- 1.1 Compounding
- 1.1.1 Compounds and their heads
- 1.1.2 Special types of compounds
- 1.1.2.1 Affixoids
- 1.1.2.2 Coordinative compounds
- 1.1.2.3 Synthetic compounds and complex pseudo-participles
- 1.1.2.4 Reduplicative compounds
- 1.1.2.5 Phrase-based compounds
- 1.1.2.6 Elative compounds
- 1.1.2.7 Exocentric compounds
- 1.1.2.8 Linking elements
- 1.1.2.9 Separable Complex Verbs and Particle Verbs
- 1.1.2.10 Noun Incorporation Verbs
- 1.1.2.11 Gapping
- 1.2 Derivation
- 1.3 Minor patterns of word formation
- 1.1 Compounding
- 2 Inflection
- 1 Word formation
- Morphology
- Syntax
- Adjectives and adjective phrases (APs)
- 0 Introduction to the AP
- 1 Characteristics and classification of APs
- 2 Complementation of APs
- 3 Modification and degree quantification of APs
- 4 Comparison by comparative, superlative and equative
- 5 Attribution of APs
- 6 Predication of APs
- 7 The partitive adjective construction
- 8 Adverbial use of APs
- 9 Participles and infinitives as APs
- Nouns and Noun Phrases (NPs)
- 0 Introduction to the NP
- 1 Characteristics and Classification of NPs
- 2 Complementation of NPs
- 3 Modification of NPs
- 3.1 Modification of NP by Determiners and APs
- 3.2 Modification of NP by PP
- 3.3 Modification of NP by adverbial clauses
- 3.4 Modification of NP by possessors
- 3.5 Modification of NP by relative clauses
- 3.6 Modification of NP in a cleft construction
- 3.7 Free relative clauses and selected interrogative clauses
- 4 Partitive noun constructions and constructions related to them
- 4.1 The referential partitive construction
- 4.2 The partitive construction of abstract quantity
- 4.3 The numerical partitive construction
- 4.4 The partitive interrogative construction
- 4.5 Adjectival, nominal and nominalised partitive quantifiers
- 4.6 Kind partitives
- 4.7 Partitive predication with a preposition
- 4.8 Bare nominal attribution
- 5 Articles and names
- 6 Pronouns
- 7 Quantifiers, determiners and predeterminers
- 8 Interrogative pronouns
- 9 R-pronouns and the indefinite expletive
- 10 Syntactic functions of Noun Phrases
- Adpositions and Adpositional Phrases (PPs)
- 0 Introduction to the PP
- 1 Characteristics and classification of PPs
- 2 Complementation of PPs
- 3 Modification of PPs
- 4 Bare (intransitive) adpositions
- 5 Predication of PPs
- 6 Form and distribution of adpositions with respect to staticity and construction type
- 7 Adpositional complements and adverbials
- Verbs and Verb Phrases (VPs)
- 0 Introduction to the VP in Saterland Frisian
- 1 Characteristics and classification of verbs
- 2 Unergative and unaccusative subjects and the auxiliary of the perfect
- 3 Evidentiality in relation to perception and epistemicity
- 4 Types of to-infinitival constituents
- 5 Predication
- 5.1 The auxiliary of being and its selection restrictions
- 5.2 The auxiliary of going and its selection restrictions
- 5.3 The auxiliary of continuation and its selection restrictions
- 5.4 The auxiliary of coming and its selection restrictions
- 5.5 Modal auxiliaries and their selection restrictions
- 5.6 Auxiliaries of body posture and aspect and their selection restrictions
- 5.7 Transitive verbs of predication
- 5.8 The auxiliary of doing used as a semantically empty finite auxiliary
- 5.9 Supplementive predication
- 6 The verbal paradigm, irregularity and suppletion
- 7 Verb Second and the word order in main and embedded clauses
- 8 Various aspects of clause structure
- Adjectives and adjective phrases (APs)
-
- General
- Phonology
- Afrikaans phonology
- Segment inventory
- Overview of Afrikaans vowels
- The diphthongised long vowels /e/, /ø/ and /o/
- The unrounded mid-front vowel /ɛ/
- The unrounded low-central vowel /ɑ/
- The unrounded low-central vowel /a/
- The rounded mid-high back vowel /ɔ/
- The rounded high back vowel /u/
- The rounded and unrounded high front vowels /i/ and /y/
- The unrounded and rounded central vowels /ə/ and /œ/
- The diphthongs /əi/, /œy/ and /œu/
- Overview of Afrikaans consonants
- The bilabial plosives /p/ and /b/
- The alveolar plosives /t/ and /d/
- The velar plosives /k/ and /g/
- The bilabial nasal /m/
- The alveolar nasal /n/
- The velar nasal /ŋ/
- The trill /r/
- The lateral liquid /l/
- The alveolar fricative /s/
- The velar fricative /x/
- The labiodental fricatives /f/ and /v/
- The approximants /ɦ/, /j/ and /ʋ/
- Overview of Afrikaans vowels
- Word stress
- The phonetic properties of stress
- Primary stress on monomorphemic words in Afrikaans
- Background to primary stress in monomorphemes in Afrikaans
- Overview of the Main Stress Rule of Afrikaans
- The short vowels of Afrikaans
- Long vowels in monomorphemes
- Primary stress on diphthongs in monomorphemes
- Exceptions
- Stress shifts in place names
- Stress shift towards word-final position
- Stress pattern of reduplications
- Phonological processes
- Vowel related processes
- Consonant related processes
- Homorganic glide insertion
- Phonology-morphology interface
- Phonotactics
- Morphology
- Syntax
- Afrikaans syntax
- Nouns and noun phrases
- Characteristics of the NP
- Classification of nouns
- Complementation of NPs
- Modification of NPs
- Binominal and partitive constructions
- Referential partitive constructions
- Partitive measure nouns
- Numeral partitive constructions
- Partitive question constructions
- Partitive constructions with nominalised quantifiers
- Partitive predication with prepositions
- Binominal name constructions
- Binominal genitive constructions
- Bare nominal attribution
- Articles and names
- Pronouns
- Quantifiers, determiners and predeterminers
- Syntactic uses of the noun phrase
- Adjectives and adjective phrases
- Characteristics and classification of the AP
- Complementation of APs
- Modification and Degree Quantification of APs
- Comparison by comparative, superlative and equative degree
- Attribution of APs
- Predication of APs
- The partitive adjective construction
- Adverbial use of APs
- Participles and infinitives as adjectives
- Verbs and verb phrases
- Characterisation and classification
- Argument structure
- Verb frame alternations
- Complements of non-main verbs
- Verb clusters
- Complement clauses
- Adverbial modification
- Word order in the clause: Introduction
- Word order in the clause: position of the finite Verb
- Word order in the clause: Clause-initial position
- Word order in the clause: Extraposition and right-dislocation in the postverbal field
- Word order in the middle field
- Emphatic constructions
- Adpositions and adposition phrases
This topic is devoted to word-final sequences of three consonants, also in relation to their (word-initial) mirror images. There appear to be severe restrictions on their distribution, while there is also a clear difference between the possibilities in word-final and word-initial position.
There are five word-initial sequences of three consonants (see onset: sequences of more than two consonants); together with their mirror images they are enumerated in the table below:
| Word-initial sequence | Mirror image |
| /skr/ | /rks/ |
| /spr/ | /rps/ |
| /str/ | /rts/ |
| /skl/ | /lks/ |
| /spl/ | /lps/ |
Not all mirror images of the word-initial sequences occur in word-final position. The ones that do are /-lks/, /-rks/ and /-rps/. The table below gives an exhaustive list of the words they are part of:
| Ending in /lks/ | Ending in /rks/ | Ending in /rps/ |
| daalks /da:lks/ immediately | piterbjirks /pitərbjɪrks/ odd, strange | korps /kɔrps/ corps |
| binnenwurks /bɪnənvørks/ on the inside (from binnen#wurk indoor work) | ||
| bûtenwurks /butənvørks/ outside (from bûten#wurk outdoor work) |
On the face of it, the mirror image of /str-/ occurs in words like larts /lats/ lark, l(j)urts /l(j)øts/ lark, koarts /koəts/ fever, and koerts /kuəts/ course. Although in these native words <r> is still written, it has undergone a historical process of deletion (see /r/-deletion in simplex words), so it may no longer be part of the underlying representation of the words in question. This, however, is not the case with /r/ in the loanwords arts /arts/ doctor and erts /ɛrts/ ore, where it is always realized.
An overview of the three-segmental word-final sequences without a word-initial mirror image is provided in (1):
| Examples of words with a three-segmental word-final sequence without a word-initial mirror image | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| a. | /-lsk/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| falsk | /fɔlsk/ | false | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| gelsk | /ɡɛlsk/ | rancid, rank | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| b. | /-ŋks/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| flanks | /flaŋks/ | (in: | yn 'e flanks nei | towards, in the direction of | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| sfinks | /sfɪŋks/ | sphinx | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| links | /lɪŋks/ | left(-hand) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| lynks | /liŋks/ | lynx | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| c. | /-nsk/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| minske | /me:nskə/ | human being | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| winsk | /ve:nsk/ | wish | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| d. | /-lts/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| elts | /ɛlts/ | each (one) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| folts | /folts/ | people | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| kwelts | /kwɛlts/ | (in: | kwelts gean | to limp | ) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| lilts | /lɪlts/ | angry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| melts | /mɛlts/ | milch | (in: | in melke ko | a milch cow | ) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| palts | /pɔlts/ | Palatinate | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Drylts | /drilts/ | (name of) one of the eleven Frisian cities | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| e. | /-lst/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| aalst | /a:lst/ | absinthe | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| felst | /fɛlst/ | bog ore | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| hulst | /hølst/ | holly, ilex | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| f. | /-nts/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| hoants | /vwants/ | ruff | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| mients | /miənts/ | knot | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| muonts | /mwonts/ | monk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| mûnts | /munts/ | monk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| wants | /vɔnts/ | bug | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| g. | /-nst/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| aanst | /a:nst/ | at once, right away | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| hynst | /hi:nst/ | stallion | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| h. | /-rst/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| barst | /bast/ | crack, burst | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| boarst | /bwast/ | breast | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| hjerst | /jɛst/ | autumn | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| toarst | /toəst/ | thirst | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| i. | /-xts/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| rjochts | /rjoxts/ | right(-hand) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| j. | /-fts/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| lofts | /lofts/ | left(-hand) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| k. | /-kst/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| takst | /takst/ | regular, habitual quantity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| drekst | /drɛkst/ | immediately, at once | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| tekst | /tɛkst/ | text | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| gewikst | /ɡəvɪkst/ | strong | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| gewykst | /ɡəvikst/ | shrewd, smart; robust, sturdy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| l. | /-pst/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| gewûpst | /ɡəvupst/ | robust, sturdy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The words in (1c) and (1g) end in /-ns{k/t}/, which is why the nasal /n/ is not realized here (see vowel nasalization).
The word-final sequences in (1) would have the word-initial mirror images in (2):
| The three-segmental word-initial miror images of the sequences in (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| /ksl-/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| /skn-/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| /ksn-/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| /stl-/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| /tsl-/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| /stn-/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| /tsn-/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| /tsr-/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| /stx-/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| /stf-/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| /tsk-/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| /tsp-/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Consonant sequences must be in conformity with the Resolvability Constraint, which holds that the occurrence of a consonant sequence implies the independent occurrence of its constituting parts (see onset: sequences of more than two consonants). A three-consonantal sequence is in accordance with this constraint, if it can be split up into two biconsonantal sequences. So, since the onset sequences /tx-/, /tf-/, /tl-/, and /tn-/ are not allowed, /stx-/, /stf-/, /stl-/, and /stn-/ are not either. The cluster /ts-/ can only precede the close vowel /i/ or the glide /j/ (see the /ts/ Constraint), which implies the non-occurrence of /tsl-/, /tsn-/, /tsr-/, /tsk-/, and /tsp-/. That /s/ is extra-syllabic in /sl-/ and /sn-/ (see extra-syllabic consonants) explains the non-occurrence of /ksl-/ and /ksn-/, for a word can have no more than one extrasyllabic segment at a time. Likewise, the fact that /k/ is extrasyllabic in /kn-/ (see onset: sequences of obstruients and nasals) renders the sequence /skn-/ impossible.
/skn-/, however, does occur, although only in the plural nouns sknikel(s)blêden /sknikəl(s)#blɛ:d+ən/ (< sk [ə]nikel(s)blêden < sk [ər]ernikel(s)blêden < sk [ar]nikel(s)blêden) ground ivy and sknieren /skniər+ən/ (< sk [ə]nieren < sk [ər]nieren < sk [ar]nieren) hinges, next to which stand the more common forms skarnikel(s)blêden /skarnikəl(s)#blɛ:d+ən/ and skarnieren /skarniər+ən/.
There are two asymmetries concerning the sequences in (1). In the first place, the coronal /s/ − which is part of all these clusters, either as final or prefinal element − is preceded or followed by a voiceless plosive, with which it forms a complex segment (see complex segments). The labial /p/, however, does not take part (with the exception of the loanword gotspe /ɡɔtspə/ chutzpah, effrontery). There is not a ready explanation for this asymmetry, though it may not be without significance that /-s/, /-t/, /-st/, and /-sk/ also have the status of a suffix, which /p/ has not.
In the second place, these sequences consist of a sonorant consonant followed by /-ts/, /-st/, /-ks/, or /-sk/. As complex segments, the latter can occur in word-final position. On the one hand, /-sk/ is only preceded by the (coronal) nasal /n/ and /-ks/ by the (velar) nasal /ŋ/. On the other hand, /-ts/ and /-st/ are preceded by /n/ and the liquids /l/ and /r/. The coronal sequences have a wider distribution than those which a non-coronal is part of. Both asymmetries then may have to do with the unmarked status of coronal segments vis-à-vis non-coronals.
Overviews of these sequences are given in (3) and (4) below:
| Sequences of a sonorant consonant + /sk / and /ks/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| links | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| lynks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| minske | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| winsk | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sequences of a sonorant consonant + /st/ and /ts/ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| a. | /-nts/ and /-nst/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| hoants | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| muonts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| aanst | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| hynst | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| b. | /-lts/ and /-lst/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| elts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Drylts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| aalst | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| felst | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| c. | /-lks/ and /-lsk/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| daalks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| falsk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| gelsk | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| d. | /-rts/ and /-rst/ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| koarts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| koerts | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| boarst | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| toarst | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In the words from (3) and (4a) ending in /-ns{t/k}/ the nasal /n/ is not realized, due to Vowel Nasalization. Since it precedes a dental-alveolar consonant, r is mute in the words from (4d) (see /r/-deletion in simplex words).
It is assumed here that words like links and lynks in (3) have the velar nasal /ŋ/ in their underlying representation.
The sequences of an obstruent + /ts/ and /st/ also show an asymmetry. A plosive is followed by /st/ ( /-kst/ and /-pst/), a fricative by /ts/ ( /-fts/ and /-xts/), as exemplified in the table below:
| /-xts/ ( /*-xst/) | rjochts |
| /-fts/ ( /*-fst/) | lofts |
| /-kst/ ( /*-kts/) | takst |
| /-pst/ ( /*-pts/) | gewûpst |
Preferably, obstruents in a sequence do not agree in continuancy. Therefore, sequences of two plosives or fricatives are far less likely than plosive-fricative or fricative-plosive sequences (see onset: sequences of two obstruents). This accounts for the observed asymmetry.
The sequences /*-kts/, /*-pts/, /*-fst/, and /*-pts/ do not occur in simplex words, but they do in derived forms, like (do) sjochst /sjoɣ+st/ [sjoxst] you see; you look, (it) dreechst /dre:ɣ+st/ [dre:xst] sturdiest; most thorough, (do) draafst /dra:v+st/ [dra:fst] you run, (it) geefst /ge:v+st/ [ge:fst] healthiest; strongest, (wat) ûnkrekts /un+krɛkt+s/ [uŋkrɛkts] something incorrect, and (wat) benypts /bənipt+s/ [bənipts] something narrow-minded. This means, that the ban on /-kts/, /-pts/, /-fst/, and /-pts/ reflects a Morpheme Structure Constraint.
None of the above long word-final sequences have a high frequency. The Word Constraint, which constrains the size of simplex words, may be held responsible for this.
The sequences at hand are prone to simplification. So, the words takst, drekst; aalst, felst; palts and aanst have the variants taks, dreks/drekt; aals, fels; pals and aans. On the other hand, bisegmental word-final sequences ending in /s/ can gain an extra /t/, as in aldergelokst (next to and from aldergeloks /ɔlder+gəlok+s/ fortunately, luckily), selst (next to and from sels /sɛls/ self), and wylst (next to and from wyls /vils/ while).
