BasqueEdit

EtymologyEdit

Probably related to m-.

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. Non-productive prefix without a specific meaning.

Usage notesEdit

In words where this prefix can be found, it takes the place of the first syllable of the original word, usually with no change in meaning (compare udare and madari, both meaning "pear"). It is likely that originally this was an expressive prefix, and that many Basque words starting with ma- contain this prefix, with the original word having been lost.

ReferencesEdit

  • ma-” in Etymological Dictionary of Basque by R. L. Trask, sussex.ac.uk

Bikol CentralEdit

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. Used to form adjectives indicating a quality
    ma- + ‎linig (to clean) → ‎malinig (clean)
  2. Object IV trigger infinitive verb prefix
    ma- + ‎dumog (wet) → ‎madumog (to become wet)
  3. Object trigger to have done something; to be able to do something
    ma- + ‎tapos (finish) → ‎matapos (to be able to finish something)
    Natapos kong basahon an libro kasubanggi.I was able to finish reading the book last night.
  4. Object trigger to perform the action of the verb unintentionally
    ma- + ‎pasa (broken, break) → ‎mapasa (to break something unintentionally)
    Napasa ko an salming.I unintentionally broke the mirror. Compare it when used with the suffix -on:
    pasa (broken, break) + -onpasaon (to break something on purpose)
    Pinasa ko an salming.I broke the mirror on purpose.
  5. to form the future tense of the verb.

CebuanoEdit

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. added to verbs and adjectives to form adjectives meaning “able to be done; fit to be done”

HausaEdit

EtymologyEdit

Cognate to the set of prefixes found in Arabic: مُ(mu) for agentive participles, مَ(ma) for locatives, and مِ(mi) for instrumentals.

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. Used to form agentive nouns.
  2. Used to form nouns of place (locative nouns).
  3. Used to form instrumental nouns.

Usage notesEdit

Each prefix forms a different template to which the noun must conform:

  • Agentive nouns end in in the masculine singular, -ìyā in the feminine singular, and in the plural, and the root has low tone in the masculine and plural, but high tone in the feminine.
  • Locative nouns end in and are feminine, or uncommonly in and are masculine, with all high tone in either case. There is rarely a plural form.
  • Instrumental nouns end in and are masculine, with plurals in -ai. The tones of the singular form are all high, and in the plural the tones are all low except for the plural morpheme.

Derived termsEdit

KamberaEdit

PronounEdit

ma-

  1. first person plural exclusive nominative proclitic

See alsoEdit

MaoriEdit

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. Adjective prefix

Northern SothoEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Bantu *mà-.

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. Class 6 noun prefix.

Old JavaneseEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. active verb

SynonymsEdit

Derived termsEdit

PitjantjatjaraEdit

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. away (prefixed to verbs)

Usage notesEdit

  • The hyphen is normally kept, for example, ma-pitjanyi.
  • Although ma- is spelt with a short a, the vowel is actually long (maa-). The misleading spelling exists for historical reasons.

ShonaEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Bantu *mà-.

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. Class 6 noun prefix.

SothoEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Bantu *mà-.

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. Class 6 noun prefix.

SwahiliEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Bantu *mà-.

PronunciationEdit

  • (file)

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. The prefix for noun class 6 denoting liquids.
    1. Regularly forms the plurals of noun class 5.
    2. Irregularly forms the plurals of other classes, including select vocabulary in noun class 9 and noun class 14.

See alsoEdit

TagalogEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ma-, from Proto-Austronesian *ma-. Compare may (existential marker).

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. Used to form adjectives indicating a quality
    ma- + ‎linis (cleanliness) → ‎malinis (clean)
  2. Actor III trigger infinitive verb prefix
    ma- + ‎ligo (bath) → ‎maligo (to take a bath; to bathe)
  3. Object IV trigger infinitive verb prefix
    ma- + ‎basa (wet) → ‎mabasa (to become wet)
  4. Object trigger to have done something; to be able to do something
    ma- + ‎tapos (finish) → ‎matapos (to be able to finish something)
    Natapos kong basahin ang libro kagabi.I was able to finish reading the book last night.
  5. Object trigger to perform the action of the verb unintentionally
    ma- + ‎basag (break, crack) → ‎mabasag (to break something unintentionally)
    Nabasag ko ang salamin.I unintentionally broke the mirror. Compare it when used with the suffix -in:
    basag (break, crack) + -inbasagin (to break something on purpose)
    Binasag ko ang salamin.I broke the mirror on purpose.

Derived termsEdit

TausugEdit

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. Used to form adjectives and adverbs; characterized by; abundant in

Derived termsEdit

TernateEdit

Etymology 1Edit

PronounEdit

ma- (Jawi م-‎)

  1. (non-human) third-person singular and plural possessive prefix, its, their
  2. indicates definiteness
    haka ngori maobogive me the bone (literally, “give me its bone”)
    mangofa hotuthe child sleeps (literally, “its child sleeps”)

See alsoEdit

Etymology 2Edit

PrefixEdit

ma- (Jawi م-)

  1. marks certain verbal aspects
    1. indicates prolonged duration
    2. indicates repeated action
      ma- + ‎kokehe (to cough) → ‎makokehe (to cough repeatedly)
    3. indicates habitual action
    4. indicates an action undertaken by multiple subjects

Etymology 3Edit

PrefixEdit

ma- (Jawi م-)

  1. reflexive
    ma- + ‎doto (to teach) → ‎madoto (to learn)
    ma- + ‎hodo (to pour) → ‎mahodo (to bathe)
    ma- + ‎ngadi (to clothe (another)) → ‎mangadi (to put on clothes, to don)

ReferencesEdit

  • Frederik Sigismund Alexander de Clercq (1890) Bijdragen tot de kennis der Residentie Ternate, E.J. Brill
  • Rika Hayami-Allen (2001) A descriptive study of the language of Ternate, the northern Moluccas, Indonesia, University of Pittsburgh

TsongaEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Bantu *mà-.

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. Class 6 noun prefix.

TswanaEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Bantu *mà-.

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. Class 6 noun prefix.

VendaEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Bantu *mà-.

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. Class 6 noun prefix.

West MakianEdit

Etymology 1Edit

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. a prefix of unclear meaning
    ma- + ‎gei (to be dead) → ‎magei (to die)
    ma- + ‎dadi (to become) → ‎madadi (to be, exist)
Usage notesEdit

The prefix ma- is subject to West Makian vowel harmony, and as such may surface as me-, mi-, or mo-.

Alternative formsEdit

Etymology 2Edit

PronunciationEdit

PronounEdit

ma-

  1. first-person plural inclusive clitic, we
    mocowe see
Usage notesEdit

The prefix ma- follows West Makian vowel harmony, and as such may surface as me-, mi-, or mo-.

Alternative formsEdit

Etymology 3Edit

PronunciationEdit

PronounEdit

ma-

  1. (animate) third-person singular clitic for stative verbs, it
    madadi sangajihe became a chief
    di oma ma makaku itheir child is still small
Usage notesEdit

This clitic is only for stative verbs and does not undergo vowel harmony.

Etymology 4Edit

PronunciationEdit

PronounEdit

ma-

  1. (animate) third-person singular possessive prefix, his, hers, that person's, that being's
Usage notesEdit

The possessive prefix ma- is subject to West Makian vowel harmony, and as such may surface as me-, mi-, or mo-.

Alternative formsEdit

See alsoEdit

Etymology 5Edit

PronunciationEdit

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. forms adverbial numerals
    ma- + ‎minye (one) → ‎maminye (once)
    ma- + ‎unge (three) → ‎maunge (thrice)

ReferencesEdit

  • Clemens Voorhoeve (1982) The Makian languages and their neighbours[1], Pacific linguistics

XhosaEdit

EtymologyEdit

From a clipping of makhe (hortative marker).

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. let, may; gives a verb a hortative force.
    Masihambe!
    Let's go!

Usage notesEdit

The prefix is attached to the subjunctive form of the verb, before the subject concord.

ZuluEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Proto-Bantu *mà-.

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. Class 6 simple noun prefix.

Etymology 2Edit

From a clipping of make (hortative marker).

PrefixEdit

ma-

  1. let, may; gives a verb a hortative force.
    Masihambe!
    Let's go!
Usage notesEdit

The prefix is attached to the subjunctive form of the verb, before the subject concord.

Alternative formsEdit

ReferencesEdit