-a-

-ǎ- English Etymology 1 From en of en a (as in en half-a-crown) or en of (as in jack-a-napes from enm Jak enm of enm Naples). Some terms have fully incorporated the use, as en ragamuffin and en jackanape(en jackanapes s); others arise from mistaken assimilation to the form, as en all-a-gog and en cock-a-leekie. Interfix en interfix Connective interfix used in forming compounds, often no longer carrying a distinct meaning. en o' Derived terms en blackamoor cock-a-hoop cock-a-leekie half-a-crown jack-a-dandy jack-a-lantern Jack-a-Lent jack-a-napes,jackanape John-a-dreams ragamuffin Etymology 2 From earlier en a (attested by the 14th c.), as a contraction of en and and its various en enm - forms. Conjunction en conjunction And en an' n' en 1746 Exmoor Scolding 3rd 81 Chem a laced well-a-fine aread Etymology 3 From en fr à various prepositions and related prepositions in other roa - languages. Also from related misunderstandings, as en all-a-mort from fr à la morte. Alternative forms en à -à- Infix en infix Connective infix encountered in loanwords and phrases, generally no longer carrying a distinct meaning. Derived terms en all-a-mort mano-a-mano vis-a-vis Etymology 4 en Infix en infix en chemistry Replacing carbon, especially in a ring. Etymology 5 en rat. Infix en infix en pharmacology A monoclonal antibody derived from a rat. Related terms en -mab is the base suffix common to all monoclonal antibodies References USP Dictionary of USAN and International Drug Names, U.S. Pharmacopeia, 2000 en Medicine Albanian Interfix sq interfix An interfix, empty morph. Derived terms sq Chichewa Etymology Compare with tum -a- Infix ny infix Forms the past perfect tense in verbs. Usage notes This contrasts with the simple past, ny -na- -na-/-da-, which does not imply completion. Dutch Interfix nl interfix nl -A- morpheme occurring in Chinese Surinamese surnames Hungarian Pronunciation Interfix hu interfix A suffix-initial vowel (or linking vowel) inserted interconsonantally between the word stem and the suffix, to ease pronunciation, without contributing to the meaning. hu fiatal young -a- + -bb fiatalabb younger See also hu -á- -e- -o- -ö- Irish Etymology Adapted from ga la -o-, originating ultimately from ga grc -ο-. Interfix ga interfix -o- linking vowel between morphemes Derived terms ga Lushootseed Interfix lut interfix intrinsic derivational suffix or meaningless lexical linking element Derived terms lut Mohawk Interfix moh interfix joiner vowel used in noun incorporation joiner vowel used when adding verb suffixes Norwegian Bokmål Etymology From older Norwegian compositional forms, chiefly continuing nb non -a genitive plural ending and, in some formations, nb non -ar genitive singular ending. The vowel was subsequently reanalysed and analogically extended as a linking element, and does not necessarily express a genitive or plural relationship in present-day Norwegian. Compare nn -a- and sv -a- linking interfix. Pronunciation nb /a/ nb a 1 nb a -a nb -a- Interfix nb interfix A linking vowel used between the constituents of certain compound words, generally without an independent meaning. nb døl -a- hest valley dweller; Døle linking interfix horse → nb dølahest Døle horse nb ferd -a- folk journey, travel linking interfix people → nb ferdafolk travellers nb møkk -a- vær dung; crap linking interfix weather → nb møkkavær awful weather Usage notes The interfix is commonly called a nb binde-a linking a or nb fuge-a linking a. nb -a- is considerably less common in standard written Bokmål than nb -e- and nb -s-. It occurs chiefly in established, lexicalized compounds. The linking vowel is more widespread in Norwegian dialects and informal spoken language than in the Bokmål written standard. Many dialectal compounds containing it are therefore not accepted Bokmål spellings. There is no general productive rule determining when nb -a- is used. Its occurrence must normally be learned with the individual compound or checked in a dictionary. In some words it alternates with another linking vowel, as in nb dølahest and nb dølehest Døle horse. Such alternation is lexical and does not mean that nb -a- and nb -e- are freely interchangeable. The linking vowel is not the feminine definite singular ending nb -a. The first constituent of nb ferdafolk, for example, is not the definite noun nb ferda the journey. In formations beginning with nb møkk dung; crap, the sequence may also be analysed synchronically as the established pejorative combining form nb møkka- bad, unpleasant, contemptible, as in nb møkkajobb awful job and nb møkkavær awful weather. Not every ⟨a⟩ at a compound boundary is this interfix. In nb sofabord coffee table, for example, the ⟨a⟩ belongs to the complete first constituent nb sofa sofa. Although conventionally described as an interfix between the compound constituents, the element can more precisely be analysed as a compositional suffix attached to the first constituent. Derived terms nb See also nb -e- linking interfix nb -s- linking interfix nb -a inflectional suffix References dølahest ferdafolk møkkavær møkka- “fuge – språk”, Store norske leksikon. Norwegian Nynorsk Etymology 1 Derived from the earlier and nn non - genitive suffixes non -a and non -ar used in compounds. Akin to nn -e-. Interfix nn interfix Genitival interfix used to link elements in some compounds Derived terms nn Etymology 2 Interfix nn interfix nn -an- Romani Etymology See rom -a. Interfix rom interfix Forms the oblique singular stem of oikoclitic feminine nouns Swahili Etymology sw bnt-sab-pro *-a- *-à-, from sw bnt-pro *-à-. Cognate with pkb -a- and swb -a-. Infix sw infix sw dated gnomic aspect marker, indefinite present marker present tense marker used in headlines sw -na- sw 2023 https://taifaleo.nation.co.ke/habari/kimataifa/maelfu-ya-kampuni-zafungwa-kufuatia-hali-ngumu Taifa Leo Brian Ambani Maelfu Ya Kampuni Zafungwa Kufuatia Hali Ngumu Maelfu Ya Kampuni Zafungwa Kufuatia Hali Ngumu Thousands of Companies Close After Difficult Situation 21 July 2023 https://web.archive.org/web/20230721033137/https://taifaleo.nation.co.ke/habari/kimataifa/maelfu-ya-kampuni-zafungwa-kufuatia-hali-ngumu 21 July 2023 Conjugation Conjugation of -a- (irregular) sw na- sw wa- sw twa- sw mwa- sw a- sw wa- sw wa- sw ya- sw la- sw ya- sw cha- sw vya- sw ya- sw za- sw wa- sw pa- sw kwa- sw mwa- For more information, see Appendix:Swahili verbs. See also Swedish Etymology In most words from an old plural genitive, sv gmq-osw -a, from sv non -a, e.g. sv gästabud feast, banquet, from sv gmq-osw gæsta buþ, genitive plural of gmq-osw gæster guest, modern Swedish sv gäst. In some words from an old singular genitive, sv gmq-osw -a, -ar, from sv non -ar, e.g. dialectal sv veaträ log of wood from gmq-osw viþaträ, cf. is viðartré, standard Swedish sv vedträ. Occasionally from an old singular genitive, sv gmq-osw -a, from sv non -a, the oblique form of weak masculines. Pronunciation sv /a/ Interfix sv interfix sv somewhat archaic or dialectal Genitival interfix used to link elements in some compounds Usage notes Found in some common words like sv åratal years and sv barnavård child care, but elsewhere mostly common in archaic or literary words like sv bergatroll mountain troll, sv fiskafänge fishing catch, sv jordagods landed property, sv jordafärd funeral procession, sv nådatid period of grace, respite, sv örtagård herb garden, sv fåraherde shepherd. More common in dialects, especially Göta and Southern dialects of Swedish, and therefore in words derived from those dialects, e.g. sv lealös loose-jointed, sv nattamat nighttime snack, sv ålagille eel party, sv äggakaka egg cake. Derived terms sv sv bonna- See also sv -e- References Teleman, Ulf; Hellberg, Staffan; Andersson, Erik & Holm, Lisa (1999). Svenska akademiens grammatik 2 Ord. Stockholm: Svenska akad. Wessén, Elias (1958). Svensk språkhistoria. 2, Ordbildningslära. 3. ed. Stockholm: Almqvist & Wiksell Tumbuka Etymology Compare with ny -a- Infix tum infix Forms the recent past tense. Yao (Africa) Etymology Compare with ny -a- and tum -a- Infix yao infix Forms the preterit and pluperfect tense. It goes between the class/person concord and the past tense endings. Derived terms yao na- 1st person singular preterite/pluperfect prefix yao ŵa- 3rd person plural preterite/pluperfect prefix