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    a-
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    The prefix a- is a non-native prefix, and can only be added to non-native adjectives. Its semantics is negative: the derivations refer to the opposite of the base form. An example is sosjaal social > asosjaal antisocial. The prefix is not productive.

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    [+]General properties

    The non-native prefix a- can only be added to non-native adjectival bases. If the adjective has an initial vowel, the prefix gets an extra /n/, resulting in the allomorph an-. An example is organysk organic > anorganysk anorganic. Examples are given in the table below:

    Table 1
    Base form Derivation
    sosjaal social asosjaal antisocial
    kultureel cultural akultureel uncultured
    organysk organic anorganysk inorganic
    selekt select aselekt random
    seksueel sexual aseksueel asexual
    The native negative prefix ûn- can attach to native as well as non-native base forms, and competes with the prefix a- to a certain extent. It may be assumed, however, that negated forms with a- are often loaned in their entirety. This can be compared to what is happening with respect to the non-native negative prefix yn-.

    [+]Phonological properties

    The prefix is pronounced as [a:]. The prefix does not attract stress, so the main stress remains on the adjective of the base, for example in aseksuEEL or asoSJAAL.

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    Literature

    This topic is based on Hoekstra (1998:78).

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