Where does “-a” come from?
-a (Icelandic) comes from Old Norse -a, from Proto-Germanic -ōną, from Proto-Indo-European -eh₂yéti, from Proto-Indo-European -yéti, from Proto-Indo-European yé-, from Chichewa iye — he, she.
-a (Icelandic): Used to form verbs from nouns; Used to form...
Definitions
- Used to form verbs from nouns; Used to form...
Ancestry of “-a”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | -a | indicates negation; does not; Creates... |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | -ōną | Creates denominative verbs from nouns; Creates... |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | -eh₂yéti | Creates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | -yéti | Creates intransitive, often deponent,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | yé- | — |
| 6 | Chichewa | iye | he, she |