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-iek

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-iek /ik/ is a stress-bearing non-native cohering suffix found in abstract nouns of common gender based on non-native nouns (symboliek symbolism < symbool symbol) and bound forms semantiek semantics (cf. semantisch semantic), as well as in relational adjectives on the same types of bases (tiranniek tyrannic < tiran tiran; fysiek physical cf. fysica physics). Noun formation is productive, adjective formation is not. There are also forms such as antiek antique and katholiek catholic that function both as nouns and adjectives. Nouns in -iek rarely have a plural form; occasionally one finds in -en (e.g. klinieken clinics, methodieken methods).

The suffix -iek /ik/ is found in nouns and adjectives on the basis of non-native nouns and bound forms (roots); it derives from the French suffix -ique. There are also forms such as antiek antique and katholiek catholic that function both as nouns and adjectives. These might be cases of conversion but it is unclear what would be the direction.

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De Haas and Trommelen (1993: 260) note that it is unclear whether nouns like politiek politics, katholiek catholic and heroiek heroic are derived by means of noun forming -iek or that they should be analyzed as cases of conversion of the pertinent adjectives (cf. also Booij (2002: 137)). Following Halle (1993), Borer (2003), etc. De Belder (2011) and others have argued that such words, that surface both as adjectives and as nouns, are not associated with a syntactic category in the lexicon: these words only become nouns or adjectives in syntax. According to this framework, this is supposed to be the case for all open class words, i.e., nouns, verbs and adjectives do not exist as such in the lexicon.

The suffix carries the main stress of the derivation and is cohering: syllabification does not respect the morphological structure. If the base noun ends in schwa, it is deleted: methodiek /me.to.'dik/ method, methodology < methode /me.'to.də/ method, satiriek /sa.ti.'rik/ satyrical < satire /sa.'ti.rə/ satire. As the suffix starts with a vowel, this appears to be a standard case of pre-vocalic schwa deletion.

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According to De Haas and Trommelen (1993: 260), we find vowel reduction in atletiek /at.lə.'tik/ athletics (< atleet /at.'let/ athlete) and vowel shortening in portiek /pɔr.'tik/ porch (< poort /po:rt/ gate). If the base is a noun of Greek origin ending in -ma, a /t/ is inserted: dramatiek dramatics (< drama drama). An alternative analysis would be that a stem allomorph is used here: note that the same effect is found in formations such as dramatisch dramatic, dramaturg dramaturg, etc.

Nouns in -iek usually have an abstract meaning: semantiek semantics, the science of meaning, symboliek symbolism, the use, knowledge, science of symbols; they often correspond to adjectives in -isch (semantisch semantic, symbolisch symbolic). This use of -iek is productive. Given the abstract meaning of the nouns in -iek, they usually do not have a plural form; for derived, concrete uses, one may found plurals in -enmethodieken methods next to methodiek methodology; semantieken semantic theories, meanings. Nouns and adjectives in -iek can be input to other morphological processes, especially verb formation by means of the suffix -eer, in which final /k/ changes into /s/, written c, e.g. musiceren /my.si.'sɪ:.rən/ to make music (cf. muziek music) and specificeren /spe.si.fi.'sɪ:.rən/ to specify (cf. specifiek specific).

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De Haas and Trommelen (1993: 260) point at allomorphs -istiek (frisistiek fristics, the science of Frisian, karakteristiek characteristic) and -atiek (problematiek issues, problems, systematiek systematics), which, they hypothesize, consist of -iek combined with the suffixes -at and -ist, respectively.

On the bases of the fact that fabriek factory and rubriek rubric, section also enter into -eer derivation (which results in fabriceren to fabricate and rubriceren to classify, respectively, and which may be taken as a case of affix substitution) they suggest that these words might be formally complex.
Adjectives in -iek usually correspond to nouns in stressed -ie: energiek energetic < energie energy. The semantics is relational: pertaining to N, related to N. This use of -iek is not productive. There is often also an adjective formed with the competing suffix -isch: melodie melody > melodisch, melodiek. Sometimes there is a clear semantic difference (kritiek critical, life-threatening vs. kritisch critical, uttering criticism), in other cases there is not (komisch, komiek comical). The overlap between the two suffixes is not complete (no *cyniek next to cynisch cynical, no *unisch next to uniek unique). Adjectives in -iek show standard adjectival inflectioneen unieke kans a unique chance but usually there are no comparative or superlative forms, due to the semantics. They can enter into onther morphological processes such as noun formations with native -heid (specifiekheid specificity)) or, more common, non-native -iteit (specificiteit specificity, elektriciteit electricity); note that final /k/ changes into /s/, written /c/. Adjectives in iek can also be used as nouns, denoting either persons (komiek clown, comedian, common gender) or objects (kritiek criticism common gender, antiek antiques neuter gender).

References

Belder, Marijke de2011Roots and Affixes: Eliminating lexical categories from syntaxUtrechtThesis
Booij, Geert2002The morphology of DutchOxfordOxford University Press
Borer, Hagit2003Exo-skeletal vs. Endo-skeletal Explanations: Syntactic Projections and the LexiconThe Nature of ExplanationChicago University Press
Haas, Wim de & Trommelen, Mieke1993Morfologisch handboek van het Nederlands. Een overzicht van de woordvormingSDU Uitgeverij
Haas, Wim de & Trommelen, Mieke1993Morfologisch handboek van het Nederlands. Een overzicht van de woordvormingSDU Uitgeverij
Haas, Wim de & Trommelen, Mieke1993Morfologisch handboek van het Nederlands. Een overzicht van de woordvormingSDU Uitgeverij
Halle, Morris & Marantz, Alec1993Distributed Morphology and the Pieces of InflectionThe View from Building 20Cambridge, MAMIT Press111--176

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About this article

Author(s): Ton van der Wouden

Category: Dutch Morphology

Keywords: derivationnon-nativenounadjective

Version: 1.0, December 2015

Version history:

version	editor(s)	date	remarks
1.0	Ton van der Wouden	December 2015

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