Editing Alpha (section)

===Greek===
In [[Ancient Greek]], alpha was pronounced {{IPAblink|ä|a}} and could be either [[phoneme|phonemically]] long ([aː]) or short ([a]). Where there is ambiguity, long and short alpha are sometimes written with a [[Macron (diacritic)|macron]] and [[breve]] today: {{Lang|el|Ᾱᾱ, Ᾰᾰ|italic=no}}.
*{{Wikt-lang|grc|ὥρα|italic=no}} = {{Lang|grc|ὥρᾱ|italic=no}} ''{{Lang|grc-latn|hōrā}}'' {{IPA|el|hɔ́ːraː}} "a time"
*{{Wikt-lang|grc|γλῶσσα|italic=no}} = {{Lang|grc|γλῶσσᾰ|italic=no}} ''{{Lang|grc-latn|glôssa}}'' {{IPA|el|ɡlɔ̂ːssa}} "tongue"

In [[Modern Greek]], [[vowel length]] has been lost, and all instances of alpha simply represent the [[open front unrounded vowel]] {{IPA|el|a|IPA}}.

In the [[polytonic Greek|polytonic]] orthography of Greek, alpha, like other vowel letters, can occur with several [[diacritic]] marks: any of three accent symbols ({{lang|grc|ά, ὰ, ᾶ}}), and either of two breathing marks ({{lang|grc|ἁ, ἀ}}), as well as combinations of these. It can also combine with the [[iota subscript]] ({{lang|grc|ᾳ}}).

====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;}}.