bijincorrecte

Bijincorrecte is a term used in Dutch-language linguistics to label a nonstandard formation in which the preposition bij is allegedly attached to adjectives to modify a noun. The term is not part of formal Dutch grammar and appears mainly in informal discussions and online language guides as a way to describe a pattern of misformation observed in casual speech and writing.

Etymology and origin: The word combines bij, meaning by/at, with incorrecte, meaning incorrect. It was coined in online forums in the early 2010s to refer to attempts to form compound adjective phrases using bij in front of otherwise ordinary adjectives. It has not been adopted by mainstream grammarians and remains a niche label.

Definition and use: Bijincorrecte is used to describe cases where speakers apply the prepositional sense of bij to adjectives that should describe a noun directly, yielding phrases that many Dutch editors consider nonstandard. In practice, bijincorrecte expressions are typically flagged as awkward or incorrect and are usually replaced by standard alternatives such as onjuiste uitleg (incorrect explanation) or verkeerde gegevens (wrong data). The pattern is mostly discussed as a cautionary note in informal writing guides rather than as a productive morphological process.

Examples: Typical bijincorrecte phrases include bijincorrecte uitleg and bijincorrecte gegevens, which a prescriptive approach would rephrase as onjuiste uitleg and onjuiste gegevens. The surrounding sentences often indicate that the phrase is perceived as rough or nonstandard.

Reception and status: Bijincorrecte is a descriptive label used by some language enthusiasts rather than a recognized category in formal grammar. It serves as a talking point about nonstandard prepositional use and caution against overgeneralizing prepositional prefixes in attributive phrases.

See also: Dutch grammar, prepositional usage, compound adjectives, language reform debates.