-a-

See also: -ǎ- and Appendix:Variations of "a"

English

Etymology 1

From of a (as in half-a-crown) or of (as in jack-a-napes from Middle English Jak of Naples). Some terms have fully incorporated the use, as ragamuffin and jackanape(s); others arise from mistaken assimilation to the form, as all-a-gog and cock-a-leekie.

Interfix

-a-

Connective interfix used in forming compounds, often no longer carrying a distinct meaning.
Synonym: o'

Derived terms

Etymology 2

From earlier a (attested by the 14th c.), as a contraction of and and its various Middle English forms.

Conjunction

-a-

And
Synonyms: an', n'
- 1746, Exmoor Scolding, 3rd edition, section 81:
  Chem a laced well-a-fine aread

Etymology 3

From French à (“various prepositions”) and related prepositions in other Romance languages. Also from related misunderstandings, as all-a-mort from French à la morte.

Alternative forms

à, -à-

Infix

-a-

Connective infix encountered in loanwords and phrases, generally no longer carrying a distinct meaning.

Derived terms

Etymology 4

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Infix

-a-

(chemistry) Replacing carbon, especially in a ring.

Etymology 5

Clipping of rat.

Infix

-a-

(pharmacology) A monoclonal antibody derived from a rat.

Related terms

-mab is the base suffix common to all monoclonal antibodies

References

USP Dictionary of USAN and International Drug Names, U.S. Pharmacopeia, 2000

Albanian

Chichewa

Etymology

Compare with Tumbuka -a-

Infix

-a-

Forms the past perfect tense in verbs.

Usage notes

This contrasts with the simple past, -na-/-da-, which does not imply completion.

Dutch

Interfix

-a-

alternative letter-case form of -A- (“morpheme occurring in Chinese Surinamese surnames”)

Hungarian

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ɒ]

Interfix

-a-

A suffix-initial vowel (or linking vowel) inserted interconsonantally between the word stem and the suffix, to ease pronunciation, without contributing to the meaning.
‎fiatal (“young”) + ‎-a- + -bb → ‎fiatalabb (“younger”)

Irish

Etymology

Adapted from Latin -o-, originating ultimately from Ancient Greek -ο- (-o-).

Interfix

-a-

-o- (linking vowel between morphemes)

Derived terms

Irish terms interfixed with -a-

Lushootseed

Interfix

-a-

intrinsic derivational suffix or meaningless lexical linking element

Derived terms

Lushootseed terms interfixed with -a-

sʔušəbabdxʷ

ʔušəbabdxʷil

Mohawk

Interfix

-a-

joiner vowel used in noun incorporation
joiner vowel used when adding verb suffixes

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From older Norwegian compositional forms, chiefly continuing Old Norse -a (“genitive plural ending”) and, in some formations, Old Norse -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 Norwegian Nynorsk -a- and Swedish -a- (“linking interfix”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /a/
Rhymes: -a
Homophones: a, -a
Hyphenation: -a-

Interfix

-a-

A linking vowel used between the constituents of certain compound words, generally without an independent meaning.
døl (“valley dweller; Døle”) +‎ -a- (“linking interfix”) +‎ hest (“horse”) → dølahest (“Døle horse”)

ferd (“journey, travel”) +‎ -a- (“linking interfix”) +‎ folk (“people”) → ferdafolk (“travellers”)

møkk (“dung; crap”) +‎ -a- (“linking interfix”) +‎ vær (“weather”) → møkkavær (“awful weather”)

Usage notes

The interfix is commonly called a binde-a (“linking a”) or fuge-a (“linking a”).
-a- is considerably less common in standard written Bokmål than -e- and -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 -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 dølahest and dølehest (“Døle horse”). Such alternation is lexical and does not mean that -a- and -e- are freely interchangeable.
The linking vowel is not the feminine definite singular ending -a. The first constituent of ferdafolk, for example, is not the definite noun ferda (“the journey”).
In formations beginning with møkk (“dung; crap”), the sequence may also be analysed synchronically as the established pejorative combining form møkka- (“bad, unpleasant, contemptible”), as in møkkajobb (“awful job”) and møkkavær (“awful weather”).
Not every ⟨a⟩ at a compound boundary is this interfix. In sofabord (“coffee table”), for example, the ⟨a⟩ belongs to the complete first constituent 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

Norwegian Bokmål terms interfixed with -a-

-a-

merraflåer

References

“dølahest” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
“ferdafolk” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
“møkkavær” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
“møkka-” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
“fuge – språk”, Store norske leksikon.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

Derived from the earlier and Old Norse genitive suffixes -a and -ar used in compounds. Akin to -e-.

Interfix

-a-

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Derived terms

Norwegian Nynorsk terms interfixed with -a-

Etymology 2

Interfix

-a-

alternative form of -an-

Romani

Etymology

See -a.

Interfix

-a-

Forms the oblique singular stem of oikoclitic feminine nouns

Swahili

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Sabaki *-à-, from Proto-Bantu *-à-. Cognate with Kipfokomo -a- and Maore Comorian -a-.

Infix

-a-

(dated) gnomic aspect marker, indefinite present marker
present tense marker used in headlines
Near-synonym: -na-
- 2023, Brian Ambani, “Maelfu Ya Kampuni Zafungwa Kufuatia Hali Ngumu”, in Taifa Leo‎^[1], archived from the original on 21 July 2023:
  Maelfu Ya Kampuni Zafungwa Kufuatia Hali Ngumu
  Thousands of Companies Close After Difficult Situation

Conjugation

Conjugation of *-a-* (irregular)
		singular	plural
1st person		na-	twa-
2nd person		wa-	mwa-
3rd person	m-wa_(I/II)	a-	wa-
	m-mi_(III/IV)	wa-	ya-
	ji-ma_(V/VI)	la-	ya-
	ki-vi_(VII/VIII)	cha-	vya-
	n_(IX/X)	ya-	za-
	u_(XI)	wa-	see n_(X) or ma_(VI)
	ku_(XV/XVII)	kwa-
	pa_(XVI)	pa-
	mu_(XVIII)	mwa-

For more information, see Appendix:Swahili verbs.

Swedish

Etymology

In most words from an old plural genitive, Old Swedish -a, from Old Norse -a, e.g. gästabud (“feast, banquet”), from Old Swedish gæsta buþ, genitive plural of gæster (“guest”), modern Swedish gäst.
In some words from an old singular genitive, Old Swedish -a, -ar, from Old Norse -ar, e.g. dialectal veaträ (“log of wood”) from viþaträ, cf. Icelandic viðartré, standard Swedish vedträ.
Occasionally from an old singular genitive, Old Swedish -a, from Old Norse -a, the oblique form of weak masculines.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /a/

Interfix

-a-

(somewhat archaic or dialectal) Genitival interfix used to link elements in some compounds

Usage notes

Found in some common words like åratal (“years”) and barnavård (“child care”), but elsewhere mostly common in archaic or literary words like bergatroll (“mountain troll”), fiskafänge (“fishing catch”), jordagods (“landed property”), jordafärd (“funeral procession”), nådatid (“period of grace, respite”), örtagård (“herb garden”), fåraherde (“shepherd”).
More common in dialects, especially Göta and Southern dialects of Swedish, and therefore in words derived from those dialects, e.g. lealös (“loose-jointed”), nattamat (“nighttime snack”), ålagille (“eel party”), äggakaka (“egg cake”).

Derived terms

Swedish terms interfixed with -a-

bonna-

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 Chichewa -a-

Infix

-a-

Forms the recent past tense.

Yao (Africa)

Etymology

Compare with Chichewa -a- and Tumbuka -a-

Infix

-a-

Forms the preterit and pluperfect tense. It goes between the class/person concord and the past tense endings.

Derived terms

na- (“1st person singular preterite/pluperfect prefix”)
ŵa- (“3rd person plural preterite/pluperfect prefix”)