Today I'd like to write a post about yet another English quirk (yap, after almost three years of blog I keep finding English quirks). Today's English quirk is one that I've been meaning to write about for some time: adverbs beginning with a-. Yes, strange enough English has quite an outstanding flexibility to create adverbs by adding the prefix a- to other words.
Let's see how this works:
The prefix a- has been appended to many current everyday words, creating words that are constantly used (even though we don't realize that they consist of a prefix). Here you have some examples:
a + loud = aloud: Loudly
a + like = alike : Differently
a + part = apart : Separated
a + head = ahead : In front
a + side = aside : Separated
a + board = aboard : Onboard
a+ broad = abroad : Outside your homeland
a + cross = across : Crossing
a + way = away : In another direction, far
a + gain = again : One more time
However, the prefix 'a' is most cases is a bit old-fashioned and remains a bit stilted or literary (appearing in books and literature). These uses are not common in everyday English:
a + drift = adrift : Without direction in the water.
a + back = aback : Directed to the back.
a + loft = aloft / a + top = atop : Directed to the top.
a + jar = ajar: slightly open.
a + kin = akin: Similar.
a + float = afloat : The opposite of sinking..
a + miss = amiss: Inappropriately.
a + new = anew / a + fresh = afresh: Again.
a + pace = apace : Rapidly.
a + piece = apiece : To each other.
a + stern = astern : Nautical term for behind.
a + stride = astride : Opening the legs.
a + while = awhile : For a short time.
a + bed = abed : In bed.
a + shore = ashore : Onto the shore.
a+ breast = abreast : Side by side.
a + far = afar : From far away.
a+ field = afield : In the field.
a + foot = afoot : On foot.
Apart from this, the prefix a- can be a negative prefix but it is not so common in English, appearing in words like asocial, acellular, or atonal, amoral, achromatic,...
Well, what do you think of this English quirk? Even though it is not a striking one, pay attention to it, specially if you're reading literature!
See you around.
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