Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/ga-
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Proto-Germanic[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“with, near, by, along”). Cognate with Latin co-, con-, prefix forms of cum (“with”). The irregular change from expected **ha- to *ga- is probably due to the unstressed nature of this prefix.
Prefix[edit]
*ga-
- Indicates association or togetherness; co-.
- Indicates completeness or wholeness. In verbs, also indicates perfectivity (a finished action).
Derived terms[edit]
Descendants[edit]
In Old Norse, *ga- only survives as a fossil in a few words. Its semantic function was, however, retained perfectly by the particle of.