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-	{{Template}}	+	#REDIRECT [[Alpha privative]]
-	The '''privative ''a''''' (also known as '''privative alpha''' or α ''privativum'') is the [[Prefix (linguistics)|prefix]] ''a-'' which expresses negation or absence (e.g. ''[[atheism|a-theism]]'', ''[[wiktionary:atypical|a-typical]]''). Originally described for the grammar of [[Ancient Greek]], it goes back to a [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]] syllabic nasal *''n̥-'', the zero [[Indo-European ablaut|ablaut]] grade of the negation *''ne'', i.e. /n/ used as a vowel. For this reason, it appears as ''an-'' before vowel (e.g. ''[[illiteracy|an-alphabetism]]'', ''[[anesthesia|an-esthesia]]'', ''[[anarchy (word)|an-archy]]''). The same prefix appears in [[Sanskrit]], also as ''a-'', ''an-''. In [[Latin]], the cognate prefix is ''in-'', and in [[West Germanic languages]] (including English) it is ''un-'' (''on-'' in [[Dutch language|Dutch]]). In [[North Germanic languages]], the -''n''- has disappeared and [[Old Norse]] has ''ú-'' (e.g. [[Údáinsakr|ú-dáins-akr]]), [[Danish language|Danish]] and [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]] have ''u-'', whereas [[Swedish language|Swedish]] uses ''o-'' (pronounced [u]), and [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]] uses the etymologically related ''ó''.	+
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-	==See also==	+
-	{{wiktionary|alpha privative}}	+
-	*[[copulative a]]	+
-	*[[privative]]	+
-	{{GFDL}}	+

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Current revision

1. REDIRECT Alpha privative