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The suffix -ast derives personal nouns from nouns. This unproductive, non-Germanic suffix only occurs in a few words, nearly always with a non-Germanic base form. An example is fantasy fantasy > fantast dreamer.

[+]General input

The list of derivations with -ast is limited. Examples are given in the table below:

Table 1
Base form Derivation
fantasy fantasy fantast dreamer
gymnasium grammar school gymnasiast grammar school pupil
Frysk Frisian frisiast lover of Frisian affairs
giliasme chiliasm giliast chiliast
gymnastyk gymnastics gymnast gymnast

All derivations have common gender, and their meaning differs between "follower of {base noun}" or "someone who brings {base noun} into practice". The derivations have a non-native base, typically a bounded stem. An exception is frisiast lover of Frisian matters, which is related to the native words Fryslân Frisia or Frysk Frisian.

[+]Phonological properties

The suffix -ast bears the main stress of the word: fantaSY > fanTAST, frYSK > frisiAST, etcetera.

[+]Morphological potentials

The derivations can be the first part of a compound if a linking element -e- has been added: fantast-e-praat talk of a dreamer or frisiast-e-feriening society of Frisiasts.

They can be input for other suffixes as well, like -(y)sk in fantastysk fantastic and gymnastysk gymnastic and -e in gymnasiaste female pupil of a grammar school.

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This topic is based on Hoekstra )(1998:101).

  • Hoekstra, Jarich1998Fryske wurdfoarmingLjouwertFryske Akademy