What is rebracketing in linguistics? (7)(Dutch)
Here are some examples that show how rebracketing can influence not just the forms of words but their meanings and even how new words are created in a language.
In Dutch:
Het ei:
Original form: “het ei” (meaning “the egg”)
Rebracketed form: This became “hetjei” in some dialects, where “ei” is reinterpreted as part of the article.
Een aal:
Original form: “een aal” (meaning “an eel”)
Rebracketed form: “eneel” in some dialects, leading to further dialectical variations.