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    The use of a name as the first member of a nominal compound is rare, although not fully excluded. The pattern can be found with personal names (Reboelje-oanhinger Reboelje fan) and with geographical names as well, for example Snitswike Snits-week sailing regatta near Snits.

    A somewhat different type has its main stress on the second member. An example is janhin John-chicken milksop, sissy. Such formations, always containing a personal name, have a pejorative meaning. Moreover, in this type it is irrelevant whether the person referred to is really called Jan.

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    [+]Referentiality

    In general, the modifier of a nominal compound is not referential. Therefore, it is not to be expected that this position can be occupied by a name, since a name has a unique referent by definition. This idea is borne out by the facts. For example, if Gurbe is the name of a man, one cannot say *Gurbehûs Gurbe-house for the house in which Gurbe lives. Instead, a phrasal construction is called for, for example it hûs fan Gurbe the house of Gurbe or Gurbe syn hûs Gurbe his house, both meaning Gurbe's house.

    [+]Personal names

    In spite of the considerations above, we do find names as the first member of a nominal compound, although quite marginally. An example is Reboelje-oanhinger fan of the band Reboelje or Reboelje-optreden performance of Reboelje. Sometimes, a compound with a personal name as first member can become more acceptable by adding more context. A word like ??Hoekstra-artikel Hoekstra-article article written by Jarich Hoekstra is bad, but it is acceptable in a sentence like dit is in typysk Hoekstra-artikel this is a typical Hoekstra-article this is a typical article of Hoekstra's, where a qualification like typysk typical has turned the proper noun into the direction of a common noun. Note that the stress in these compounds is on the first member.

    Another type has its main stress on the second member, very much in the way of the stress pattern of the combination of a first name plus a family name. An example is janhin john-chicken milksop, sissy, henpecked husband. Synonyms are jangat john-ass, janjurk john-dress and janmeiske john-girl. The first member has no referential function here whatsoever, except for the fact that the compound denotes a male person. It is not even necessary that the personreferred to has Jan John as its first name, although it is mostly this popular name Jan that is involved in these formations. Another feature of this type is its pejorative connotation. Other examples are janferwoest john-savage brute or janlul john-dick dope. A collective interpretation is expressed in janhagel john-hail mob.

    [+]Geographical names

    Occasionally, the first constituent can also be a place name. Examples are Snitswike Snits-week a sailing regatta plus festivities in and near Snits and Warnsbetinking Warns-commemoration commemoration of the battle at Warns (1345). In Likeblom Like-flower paper flower from De Like the inherent article of the place name De Like has been truncated. The main stress in these formations is always on the modifying geographical name.

    As is the case with personal names, the occurrence of geographical names in compounds is quite rare. Usually, an expression with a PP is invoked, for example in blom [út De Like] a flower [(PP)out De Like] a flower from De Like. Geographical names can also be used adjectively with suffixation. We therefore talk about (de) Jorwerter merke (the) Jorwert-SUFF feast the (annual) festivities in the village of Jorwert, and not about (de) *Jorwertmerke (the) Jorwert-feast.

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    Onomastic compounds

    The pattern of a name plus a noun is not only used to derive nouns. It can also produce names. For more information, see the topic on onomastic compounds.

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    Literature

    Formations with geographical names are discussed inTamminga 1963:150-153).

    References
    • Tamminga, Douwe Annes1963Op 'e taelhelling. Losse trochsneden fan Frysk taellibben. IBoalsertA.J. Osinga
    About this article
    Author(s): Siebren Dyk
    Category: Frisian Morphology
    Keywords: geographical namepejorativepersonal nameproper nounstress
    Version: 1.0, December 2023
    Version history:
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    1.0 Siebren Dyk December 2023
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