*ak

Runic: ᚨᚲ Pronunciation: /ˈɑk/

conjunction

Meanings

but, however; rather, but instead, especially introducing a correction or contrast

Etymology

Probably from pre-Germanic *at-ge, from Proto-Indo-European *át + *ge, originally ‘but indeed’ or ‘but rather’. The development presumably involved assimilation in the consonant cluster and subsequent degemination: *at-ge > *aþke > akke > *ak, although the exact phonological sequence is uncertain and this particular assimilation has no known parallel in Germanic. Cognates of the first particle include Latin at, Vedic Sanskrit अथ (átha), Avestan 𐬀𐬝 (at̰), Old Church Slavonic а (a), and Lithuanian o, while those of the second particle include Ancient Greek γε (ge), Old Church Slavonic же (že), and Lithuanian -ge (Dunkel 2014: 87–88, 279–80).

Descendants

  • *ak (Proto-West Germanic)
    • ak (Old Saxon)
  • *ak (Proto-West Germanic)
    • *ak, *ok, *oh (Old Dutch)
      • och (Middle Dutch)
  • *ak (Proto-West Germanic)
    • ac, ah, oc (Old English)
      • ac, ak, ah, ach, oc, occ, ok, auh, auch, auȝ (Middle English)
        • ac, ake (English)
        • ac (Scots)
  • *ak (Proto-West Germanic)
    • *ak, *ok (Old Frisian)
      • uk (Saterland Frisian)
      • ek (West Frisian)
  • *ak (Proto-West Germanic)
    • oh (Old High German)
      • och, ouch (Middle High German)
        • auch (German)
  • 𐌰𐌺 (ak) (Gothic)

Explore/search these descendants

View on Wiktionary