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    Prefix allomorphy
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    Allomorphy in prefixes is found with respect to both native and non-native prefixes. In the case of native prefixes, the allomorphy is an effect of phonological constraints. For instance, the allomorph [ɔ] of on- in onmogelijk [ɔmoγǝlǝk] impossible is the effect of assimilation of place and degemination. The allomorphy of non-native prefixes is borrowed from the source languages, Latin and Greek. The prefixes involved are in-, con-, a-, and de- and the allomorphy is illustrated by the following examples:

    Example 1

    a. in- / im- / iŋ- / il- / ir-
          in-tolerant [ɪntoləˈrɑnt] intolerant
          im-populair [ɪmpopyˈler] unpopular
          in-consistent [ɪŋkɔnsisˈtɛnt] inconsistent
          il-legaal [ɪleˈxal] illegal
          ir-rationeel [ɪrat(ʃ)oˈnel] irrational
    b. con- / com- / coŋ- / col- / cor-
          con-sistent [kɔnsisˈtɛnt] consistent
          com-plex [kɔmˈplɛks] complex
          con-claaf [kɔŋˈklaf] conclave
          col-laboratie [kɔlaboˈra(t)si] colloboration
          cor-relatie [kɔrəˈla(t)si] correlation
    c. a- / an-
          a-moreel [amoˈrel] immoral, amoral
          an-organisch [ɑnɔrˈxanis] anorganic
    d. de- / des-
          de-valuatie [devalyˈɥa(t)si] devaluation
          des-interesse [ˈdɛsɪntərɛsə] disinterest
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    The selection of an allomorph of non-native prefixes is determined by the initial segment of the stem. In the case of in- and con- there is partial or total assimilation to this stem-initial consonant. This allomorphy therefore contributes to the ease of articulation for these words. In the case of a- and de- the consonant-final allomorph is selected if the stem begins with a vowel, and the vowel-final allomorph otherwise. Thus, a clash of two vowels (vowel hiatus) is avoided.

    The assimilation pattern for in- and con- is also found for other non-native prefixes that mainly combine with roots (that is, in borrowed words) such as ad-, con-, sub- and syn-:

    Example 2

    a. ad-
          ad-jungeren [ɑdjʏŋˈxerə(n)] to adjoin
          af-fix [ˈɑfɪks] affix
          ag-glutineren [ɑxlytiˈnerə(n)] to agglutinate
          ar-rangeren [ɑr̃̃aˈʒerə(n)] to arrange
          as-simileren [ɑsimiˈlerə(n)] to assimilate
    b. con-
          con-fusie [kɔnˈfysi] confusion
          col-lega [kɔˈlexa] colleague
          cor-rosie [kɔˈrozi] corrosion
    c. sub-
          sub-script [ˈsʏpskrɪpt] subscript
          suf-fix [ˈsʏfɪks] suffix
          sup-poneren [sʏpoˈnerə(n)] to suppose
          sur-rogaat [sʏroˈxat] surrogate
    d. syn-
          syn-these [sinˈtesə] synthesis
          sym-metrie [simeˈtri] symmetry
          sy-steem [sisˈtem] system

    This allomorphy is less easy to recognize since language users may not recognize internal morphological structure in words like collega or suffix.

    References:
      ABOUT THIS TOPIC
      Author(s):
      Geert Booij
      Category:
      Dutch Phonology
      Publication date:
      14 May 2020
      Keywords:
      allomorphyprefixaffix
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