N-

See also: Appendix:Variations of "n"

English

Etymology

Abbreviation of nitrogen.

Prefix

N-

1. (organic chemistry) the functional group that carries this prefix is attached to a nitrogen atom on the parent molecular segment

Derived terms

English terms prefixed with N-

N-methylleucine

N-methylphenylalanine

N-methylvaline

N-methylnipecotic acid

N-terminal

N-terminus

N-acetyl-p-aminophenol

• N-tert-butyl-

Related terms

• N (nitrogen)

See also

• n-

Lithuanian

Etymology

Abbreviation of nuo (“from”), referencing the minimum age required in order to watch a film.

Prefix

N-

1. (film) Used for film rating systems in Lithuania.

Derived terms

• N-7
• N-13
• N-16
• N-18

Sundanese

Etymology

Ultimately from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *maN-. Compare Javanese nge-.

Prefix

N-

1. active verb-forming prefix

   ‎N- + ‎aji (“scripture”) → ‎ngaji (“to read the Quran”)

   ‎N- + ‎bor (“drill”) → ‎ngebor (“to drill”)

   ‎N- + ‎carita (“story”) → ‎nyarita (“to tell a story”)

   ‎N- + ‎dangu (“to hear”) → ‎ngadangu (“to hear”)

   ‎N- + ‎galeuh (“liver; heart; to buy”) → ‎ngagaleuh (“to buy”)

   ‎N- + ‎haleuang (“melody”) → ‎ngahaleuang (“to sing in a loud manner”)

   ‎N- + ‎inum (“to drink”) → ‎nginum (“to drink”)

   ‎N- + ‎jungjung (“to carry on the head”) → ‎ngajungjung (“to carry on the head; to hold high regards”)

   ‎N- + ‎kidul (“south”) → ‎ngidul (“to go southward”)

   ‎N- + ‎layung (“afterglow”) → ‎ngalayung (“to go out/do activities in the afternoon”)

   ‎N- + ‎mumulé (“to nurse; take care”) → ‎ngamumulé (“to nurse; to take care”)

   ‎N- + ‎nuhun (“thanks”) → ‎nganuhunkeun (“to give thanks”)

   ‎N- + ‎peunteun (“grade, mark”) → ‎meunteun (“to grade”)

   ‎N- + ‎sangu (“rice”) → ‎nyangu (“to cook rice”)

   ‎N- + ‎ubar (“medicine”) → ‎ngubaran (“to cure”)

2. adjective-forming prefix

   ‎N- + ‎kedul (“lazy”) → ‎ngedul (“lazy”)

   ‎N- + ‎perenah (“related; place”) → ‎merenah (“appropriate”)

Usage notes

N- behaves differently depending upon the initial phoneme of the root it is applied to.

• initial consonants p (in some cases b) turns it into m-
• initial consonants t turns it into n-
• initial consonants k, w, and vowel-initial roots turns it into ng-
• initial consonants b, d, g, h, j, l, m, n, w, y turns it into nga-
• initial consonants c, s turns it into ny-
• one syllable word turns it into nge-

References

• Maman Sumantri, Atjep Djamaludin, Achmad Patoni, R.H. Moch. Koerdie, M.O. Koesman, Epa Sjafei Adisastra. (1985) Kamus Sunda-Indonesia [Sundanese-Indonesian Dictionary] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Department of Education and Culture of the Republic of Indonesia

Ternate

Etymology

Similar to processes found in a number of North Halmaheran languages.

Prefix

N-

1. derives nouns from verbs

   ‎N- + ‎ahu (“to grow”) → ‎gahu (“a sprout”)

   ‎N- + ‎ciko (“crooked”) → ‎jiko (“corner, elbow, bay”)

   ‎N- + ‎fesa (“wet”) → ‎besa (“rain”)

   ‎N- + ‎hahe (“to pull in”) → ‎ngahe (“high tide”)

   ‎N- + ‎kuraci (“yellow”) → ‎guraci (“gold, turmeric”)

   ‎N- + ‎tolabane (“to take passage (on a boat, etc.)”) → ‎dolabane (“shipload”)

   ‎N- + ‎waje (“to say”) → ‎ngajengaje (“story”) (with reduplication)

2. increases the transitivity of a verb

   ‎N- + ‎ari (“to cry”) → ‎gari (“to mourn, to cry for”)

   ‎N- + ‎fahe (“to leak”) → ‎bahe (“to spread”)

   ‎N- + ‎firi (“to make way”) → ‎biri (“to take with”)

   ‎N- + ‎ise (“to hear”) → ‎gise (“to listen to”)

3. derives a verb from a verb

   ‎N- + ‎himo (“old, old person”) → ‎ngimo (“old”)

   ‎N- + ‎hohi (“to count (something)”) → ‎nyonyohi (“to heed (someone's) advice”)

   ‎N- + ‎pala (“to rise”) → ‎bala (“to float up”)

   ‎N- + ‎tero (“to make a hit”) → ‎dero (“to make a hit”)

4. derives a noun from a noun

   ‎N- + ‎hagi (“debt, claim”) → ‎nyagi (“debt”)

Usage notes

N- behaves differently depending upon the initial phoneme of the root it is applied to.

• initial consonants f and p become b
• initial consonant t becomes d
• initial consonant k becomes g
• initial consonant c becomes j
• initial consonant h, when deriving historically from *y, becomes ny
• initial consonants h (not from historical *y) and w become ng
• initial consonants b, d, g, j, l, m, n, ng, ny r, and s remain unchanged
• vowel-initial roots with an underlying glottal stop are prefixed with g
• vowel-initial roots with no underlying glottal stop remain unchanged

References

• Rika Hayami-Allen (2001) A descriptive study of the language of Ternate, the northern Moluccas, Indonesia, University of Pittsburgh
• Edward A. Kotynski (1995) “Glottal Stop and the Nasal Prefix in Tabaru and Other North Halmaheran Languages”, in Descriptive studies in languages of Maluku, Universitas Katolik Indonesia Atma Jaya