Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/ga-

This Proto-Germanic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Germanic

Alternative forms

*gą-

Etymology

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

*ga-

Indicates association or togetherness; co-.
Indicates completeness or wholeness. In verbs, also indicates perfectivity (a finished action).

Derived terms

Proto-Germanic terms prefixed with *ga-

Descendants

In Old Norse, *ga- only survives as a fossil in a few words. Its semantic function was, however, retained perfectly by the particle of.

Proto-West Germanic: *ga-
- Old English: ġe-, i- — Late West Saxon; gæ- — Anglian; gi- — Northumbrian; ie- — Kentish
  - Middle English: ȝe-, i-, y-
    - English: a-, y-, i- (obsolete)
- Old Frisian: ge-, gi-, je-, ie-, e-, i-, a-
  - Saterland Frisian: ge-
  - West Frisian: ge-
- Old Saxon: gi-, i-, ge-, ga-
  - Middle Low German: ge-
    - Low German: ge-, e-, je-
- Old Dutch: gi-, ge-
  - Middle Dutch: ghe-, ge-, (West-Flanders) i-, y-
    - Dutch: ge-
      - Afrikaans: ge-
    - West Flemish: ge-, e-
- Old High German: gi-, ga-, ki-, ka-
  - Middle High German: ge-
    - Alemannic German: g- or ge- (euphonic)
    - Bavarian: g-
    - German: ge-
    - Luxembourgish: ge-
    - Vilamovian: gy-
    - Yiddish: גע־ (ge-)
Old Norse: g- (non-productive)
- ⇒ Old Norse: gnógr, glíkr, greiðr, greiða, granni
Gothic: 𐌲𐌰- (ga-)
Vandalic: *ga-