Conditions for the Borrowing of Irregular Plurals in an Intense Language Contact Situation

This article is devoted to borrowing in Frisian of Dutch irregular plurals formed by suffixation and stem vowel lengthening; e.g. dak [dak] ‘roof’ - daken [da:k?/da:kn?] ‘roofs’ instead dakken [dakn?]. Irregular plural formation unproductive uncommon (except a couple historical borrowings). Although the appearance had not previously been described or investigated, we hypothesize their existence spoken Frisian, based on analogical cases. However, they would be borrowed without any limitations as various factors affect borrowability; words frequency, phonotactic constraints paradigm alternation. study approximately 175 interview recordings. The participants were asked name different objects shown them during picture task. results confirm both (quite frequent) use involvement (morphological) processes. Accordingly, such only lexical matter, but also grammatical one. Phonotactic do appear play significant role, alternation seems decisive whether can successfully not.