• Dutch
  • Frisian
  • Saterfrisian
  • Afrikaans
Show all
-er
quickinfo

The suffix -er may derive adjectives from numerals. An example is fyftiger from the number fyftich (50). However, only numerals ending in -ich are available for this process. Furthermore, their practical use is restricted.

readmore

Numerals may be turned into adjectives by addition of the suffix -er. Examples are tweintich twenty, which forms the basis for tweintiger, or tritiger, which derives from tritich thirty.

However, the process is severely restricted. The suffix may only be attached to numerals ending in the suffix -ich, and in practice, only those numerals that can be divided by 10 come into consideration. Hence, we have no *twaer (from 2), *achter (from 8), *tolver (from 12), *santjinner (from 17) or *hûnderter (from 100).

The other restriction is its practical application. The most common use is to indicate a period of time, for instance de tritiger jierren the thirty-SUFF years. This refers to the years 1930-1939, hence all the years that end in their pronunciation in -tritich -thirty. Marginally, the adjective can also be used in indicating measures. In fjirtiger bus a forty-SUFF can is a milk can with a content of forty liters. And in tritiger sou a thirty-SUFF riddle is a riddle of holes with a specific width, for selecting potatoes.

The formations are morphologically inert. They cannot be inflected (*tachtiger-e eighty-SUFF-INFL). Further word formation seems to be impossible as well.

Finally, a suffix -er that takes the same numeral bases but rather derives nouns exists as well. It is dealt with in the topic on -er which forms verbs from nouns.

extra
Dutch and German

The suffix also exists in German. It is disfavoured in Dutch by language educationalists, who consider it a Germanism. However, in Frisian it certainly belongs to the common language, although a proposed alternative as de jierren tritich the years thirty the thirties is likewise acceptable in the language.

References
    printreport errorcite