Nouns and Noun Phrases - University of Macau Library

890 Syntax of Dutch: nouns and noun phrases
The form derived by means of -en is also used in constructions like (62a), which are
more extensively discussed in Section 5.2.2.5.3. An alternative way of expressing
the same meaning is by adding the diminutive suffix -tje to the numeral, in which
case the resulting form clearly functions as a noun, witness the obligatory presence
of the plural affix -s. Example (62c) shows that the diminutive suffix can also be
used with the numeral één ‘one’, although in this case the preposition in is used, not
the preposition met (some speakers also allow op in this context).
(62) a. We komen met zijn/ons drieën/vieren.
we come with ZIJN/our three-EN/four-EN
‘We will be/come with four.’
b. We komen met zijn/ons drietjes/viertjes.
we come with ZIJN/our three-TJES/four-TJES
‘We will be/come with three/four.’
c. Ik kom in mijn eentje.
I come in my one-TJE
‘I will come alone.’
Note, finally, that the constructions in (62a&b) also occur with quantifiers like allen
and beiden (or diminutive beidjes); this is shown in (63).
(63) a. Wij/jullie/zij doen het met z’n allen/beiden/beidjes.
we/youpl/they do it with his all/both/bothdim
‘We/you/they do it all/both together.’
b. Wij doen het met ons allen/beiden/beidjes.
we do it with our all/both/bothdim
‘We do it all/both together.’
For more discussion of examples like (61) to (63), including their diachronic
development, we refer to Booij (2010: section 9.5) and the references cited there.
6.1.2. Ordinal numerals
This section discusses the ordinal numerals. Section 6.1.2.1 starts by discussing the
form of the ordinal numerals, and 6.1.2.2 continues with a discussion of their
semantics. Section 6.1.2.3 concludes the discussion by showing that cardinal
numerals need not be placed in the NUM position, but may also occur in some
position following the attributive adjectives.
6.1.2.1. Simple and compound forms
The ordinal numerals are derived from the cardinal ones by means of affixation with
-de or -ste. The former suffix is more or less restricted to the ordinals derived from
the cardinal numerals corresponding to 0 to 19, with the exception of the irregular
form eerste ‘first’ and the form achtste ‘eighth’. Note that the ordinal numeral derde
‘third’ is not derived from the cardinal numeral drie but features the morpheme der-
, which also appears in dertien (13) and dertig (30). The ordinal numeral vierde, on
the other hand, is derived from vier (4), not from the irregular morpheme veer-,
which is used in veertien (14) and veertig (40).