Editing Alpha (section)

====Greek grammar====
In the [[Attic Greek|Attic]]–[[Ionic Greek|Ionic]] dialect of Ancient Greek, long alpha {{IPA|[aː]}} fronted to {{IPAblink|ɛː}} ([[eta]]). In Ionic, the shift took place in all positions. In Attic, the shift did not take place after [[epsilon]], [[iota]], and [[rho]] ({{Lang|grc|ε, ι, ρ|italic=no}}; {{Lang|grc-latn|e, i, r}}). In [[Doric Greek|Doric]] and [[Aeolic Greek|Aeolic]], long alpha is preserved in all positions.<ref>[[Herbert Weir Smyth]]. ''Greek grammar for colleges''. [http://www.ccel.org/s/smyth/grammar/html/smyth_1b_uni.htm#30 paragraph 30] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110220092904/http://www.ccel.org/s/smyth/grammar/html/smyth_1b_uni.htm#30 |date=20 February 2011 }} and [http://www.ccel.org/s/smyth/grammar/html/smyth_1b_notes.htm#30D note] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090313050255/http://www.ccel.org/s/smyth/grammar/html/smyth_1b_notes.htm#30D |date=13 March 2009 }}.</ref>
*Doric, Aeolic, Attic {{lang|grc|χώρᾱ}} ''{{Lang|grc-latn|chṓrā}}'' – Ionic {{lang|grc|χώρη}} ''{{Lang|grc-latn|chṓrē}}'', "country"
*Doric, Aeolic {{lang|grc|φᾱ&#769;μᾱ}} ''{{Lang|grc-latn|phā́mā}}'' – Attic, Ionic {{lang|grc|φήμη}} ''{{Lang|grc-latn|phḗmē}}'', "report"

[[Privative a]] is the Ancient Greek prefix {{Lang|grc|ἀ-|italic=no}} or {{Lang|grc|ἀν-|italic=no}} {{Lang|grc-latn|a-, an-}}, added to words to negate them. It originates from the [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]] {{lang|ine-x-proto|*n̥-}} ([[syllabic consonant|syllabic]] nasal) and is [[cognate]] with English ''un-''.

[[Copulative a]] is the Greek prefix {{Lang|el|ἁ-|italic=no}} or {{Lang|el|ἀ-|italic=no}} {{Lang|el-latn|ha-, a-}}. It comes from Proto-Indo-European {{lang|ine-x-proto|*sm&#805;}}.