un- (1)
否定的前缀, 古英语 un-, 来自于原日耳曼语 *un- (来源也是古撒克逊语, 古弗里斯语, 古高德语, 德语 un-, 哥特语 un-, 荷兰语 on-), 来自于PIE *n- (来源是梵文 a-, an- “不”, 希腊语 a-, an-, 古爱尔兰语 an-, 拉丁语 in-), PIE词根 *ne- “不” 的组合形式. 常常委婉表达(如 untruth “谎言” 的意思).
最多产的英语前缀, 自由和广泛使用的旧英语, 它形成超过1000个化合物. 它经历了一个大规模的灭绝在早期的中世纪英语, 但出现了新的活力16世纪形成与本地和进口单词的化合物. 它与拉丁语派生的同源词 in- (1) 争夺形成某些词的否定词的权利(indigestable / undigestable, 等), 虽然两者可能合作部署, 以表示意义的深浅(unfamous / infamous), 但通常它们不是.
它还从短语中造词(如 uncalled-for, 17世纪; undreamed-of, 1630年代; uncome-at-able, 1690年代; unputdownable, 1947年, 一本书的; un-in-one-breath-utterable, 本-琼森; 等等, 但这种习惯并不限于 un-; 如 put-up-able-with, 1812年). 作为电报语中的前缀, 以取代 not, 节省一个字的成本, 它的证明是1936年.
un- (2)
通过“否定” 和“反转” 概念的相似性, 或多或少与 un- (1) 混淆; 像 unlocked 这样的形容词可能代表“不锁定” (un- (1) )或 unlock (un- (2) )的过去式.
Entries linking to un-
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "not."
It forms all or part of: a- (3) "not, without;" abnegate; ahimsa; an- (1) privative prefix; annihilate; annul; aught (n.2) "zero, nothing;" deny; hobnob; in- (1) "not, opposite of, without;" ixnay; naught; naughty; nay; nefarious; negate; neglect; negligee; negotiate; neither; nepenthe; nescience; nescient; neuter; never; nice; nihilism; nihility; nil; nill; nimiety; nix; no; non-; none; nonplus; nor; not; nothing; null; nullify; nulliparous; renegade; renege; un- (1) prefix of negation; willy-nilly.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit a-, an- "not;" Avestan na "not;" Greek a-, an-, ne- "not;" Latin in- "not," ne "that not;" Old Church Slavonic and Lithuanian ne "not;" Old Irish an-, ni, Cornish ny "not;" Gothic and Old English un- "not."
word-forming element meaning "not, opposite of, without" (also im-, il-, ir- by assimilation of -n- with following consonant, a tendency which began in later Latin), from Latin in- "not," cognate with Greek an-, Old English un-, all from PIE root *ne- "not."
In Old French and Middle English often en-, but most of these forms have not survived in Modern English, and the few that do (enemy, for instance) no longer are felt as negative. The rule of thumb in English has been to use in- with obviously Latin elements, un- with native or nativized ones.
updated on October 23, 2017
