ἀ-: Difference between revisions

|Definition=as insep. Prefix in compos.: <span class="sense"><span class="bld">I</span> α στερητικόν (Sch.<span class="bibl">Od. 3.279</span>, etc., cf. <span class="bibl">Eust.985.16</span>), expressing [[want]] or [[absence]] (cf. <span class="bibl">Arist. <span class="title">Metaph.</span>1022b32</span>), as [[σοφός]] wise, [[ἄσοφος]] [[un]]wise: for [[n]], the weak form of the negative [[ne]], commonly used in the formation of adjs. and advbs., very rarely in that of vbs. and substs., cf. [[ἀδώτης]], [[ἀτιμάω]], [[ἀτίω]]. Before a vowel it usu. appears as <b class="b3">ἀν-</b> (exc. where ϝ or [[spiritus asper]] has been lost, as <b class="b3">ἄ-οινος, ἄ-υπνος</b>, when it sts. coalesces with the following vowel, as [[ἀργός]] = [[ἀ-ϝεργός]]): the forms [[ἀνάεδνος]], [[ἀνάελπτος]] are probably misspelt for <b class="b3">ἀν-έϝεδνος, -έϝελπτος</b>. Adjs. formed with it freq. take gen., esp. in Trag., cf. <b class="b3">ἀλαμπὲς ἡλίου</b>, = [[ἄνευ λάμψεως ἡλίου]], <span class="bibl">S.<span class="title">Tr.</span>691</span>. [ᾰ, exc. in adjs. which begin with three short syllables, which have ᾱ in Ep., and freq. also in Lyr., Trag., and Com.; [[ἀθάνατος]] invariably has [[ᾱθ]].] </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">II</span> <b class="b3">α ἀθροιστικόν</b> (<span class="bibl">Eust. 641.61</span>; τὸ ἄλφα σημαίνει πολλαχοῦ τὸ ὁμοῦ <span class="bibl">Pl.<span class="title">Cra.</span>405c</span>), properly <b class="b3">ἁ-</b>since it represents <b class="b2">sm-</b> (cf. [[ἅμα]], [[εἷς]] = [[sems]]), and so in [[ἁπλόος]], [[ἁθρόος]]: but freq. [[ἀ-]] by dissimilation from following aspirate, as <b class="b3">ἄ-λοχος</b>, and hence by analogy in <b class="b3">ἄ-κοιτις</b>, etc., q.v.: sts. in the form <b class="b3">ὀ-</b>, as in <b class="b3">ὄπατρος, ὀγάστριος, ὄζυξ. [ᾰ.]</b> </span><span class="sense"><span class="bld">III</span> <b class="b3">α ἐπιτατικόν</b> (<span class="bibl">Eust. 641.61</span>), strengthening the force of compds., as <b class="b3">ἀ-τενής;</b> prob. identical in etymology with ''ΙΙ'', from which it is distinguished by Gramm., who sts. confuse it with ''1''; v. [[ἀδάκρυτος]]. [ᾰ.]</span><br /><span class="bld">ἀ-</span> as a prothetic vowel, usually before a double consonant, as <b class="b3">ἀ-βληχρός, ἀ-σπαίρω;</b> sts. before a single consonant, as <b class="b3">ἀ-μέλγω;</b> before a vowel where ϝ is lost, as <b class="b3">ἀ-ϝείδω. [ᾰ.]</b>

|etymtx=Grammatical information: pref.<br />Meaning: privative prefix (<b class="b3">α στερητικόν</b>);<br />Other forms: antevocalic <b class="b3">ἀν-</b>.<br />Origin: IE [Indo-European] [757] <b class="b2">*n-</b><br />Etymology: Through the loss of initial consonants (<b class="b3">Ϝ-</b>, <b class="b3">σ-</b>) the original distribution was disturbed: [[ἄισος]] (< <b class="b3">*ἀ-Ϝισος</b>) beside newly made [[ἄνισος]]; this led a few times to analogical forms like <b class="b3">ἄ-οζος</b> beside original <b class="b3">ἄν-οζος</b>. In Myc. <b class="b2">aupono \/Ahupnos\/</b>, a proper name, the <b class="b2">a-</b> stands before <b class="b2">h-</b>; thus class. [[ἄυπνος]]. Also before o- the wau was originally retained: [[ἀόριστος]]. <b class="b3">ἀ(ν</b>)- was in Greek as elsewhere originally limited to verbal adjectives and Bahuvrīhis. Frisk Adj. priv. 4ff., 44ff., Subst. priv. 8ff., Wackernagel Syntax 2, 284ff., 1, 282f., Puhvel Lang. 29, 14ff., Moorhouse Studies Negatives (1959). In other languages e.g. Skt. <b class="b2">a(n)-</b>, Lat. <b class="b2">in-</b>, Germ., e.g. Goth. <b class="b2">un-</b>, PIE <b class="b2">*n̥-</b>. The sentence negative was <b class="b2">*ne</b>, in Lat. [[ne-scio]], [[ne-fas]] etc. (not in [[νέποδες]] q.v.). Some formations may be inherited, as <b class="b3">ἄν-υδρ-ος</b> = Skt. <b class="b2">an-udr-á-</b>, [[ἄγνωτος]] = Skt. <b class="b2">ájñata-</b>, Lat. [[ignotus]]. If the following word begins with laryngeal + cons., Greek gets <b class="b3">νη-</b>, <b class="b3">να-</b>, <b class="b3">νω-</b> as in [[νήγρετος]], [[νωδός]] < <b class="b2">*n-h₁gr-</b>, <b class="b2">*n-h₃d-</b>); these adjectives were again reshaped, as in [[ἀνώνυμος]]; Beekes, Lar. Greek. -- Supposed <b class="b3">ἀνα-</b> only in [[ἀνάεδος]], <b class="b3">ἀνά-ελπτος</b> and [[ἀνάπνευστος]] (the last two are analogical, the first may stand for <b class="b3">ἀν-εεδν-</b>).<br />See also: On pleonastic <b class="b3">ἀ(ν</b>)- cf. [[ἀβέλτερος]].<br />Meaning: (none)<br />Origin: PG [a word of Pre-Greek origin]<br />Etymology: In Pre-Greek words a [[prothetic vowel]] occurs, e.g. [[ἄσταχυς]] \/ [[στάχυς]]. It is no doubt a phonetic process. It is rather frequent, Fur. 368-378. The vowel was [[ἀ-]], with a very few exceptions (Beekes, Pre-Greek.).<br />Meaning: in Anatolian place names, e. g. [[Ἀπαισός]] : [[Παισός]], [[Ἄθυμβρα]]: [[Θύμβρα]].<br />Origin: LW [a loanword which is (probably) not of Pre-Greek origin]<br />Etymology: The origin of the phenomenon is unknown; it is due to a non-IE language. The fact may be different from the Pre-Greek prothetic vowel.