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no

ahaṃ

1st acc pl of ahaṃ (pron); 1st instr pl of ahaṃ (pron); 1st dat pl of ahaṃ (pron); 1st gen pl of ahaṃ (pron); …

  1. ahaṃ (pron): I
  2. na (masc): (gram) negative prefix na
  3. no (ind): no; not
  4. no (ind): (adds a question mark) surely?; didn't?; isn't it?; definitely?
  5. no (ind): then; now; indeed
  6. no (pron): us (object)
  7. no (pron): by us; with us
  8. no (pron): for us; to us

Analysis. When used as a negative, likely from √nah or contraction of na (not) with a vowel-lengthening particle; the interrogative sense derives from the emphatic-temporal particle (common in Vedic).

Etymology. The interrogative and emphatic particle no derives from Indo-European *nu (now, then), cognate with Sanskrit nu, Greek νῦν (nyn, "now"), English "now". The negative use may conflate this with na (not). Temporal particles commonly develop interrogative force across Indo-European languages.

Meanings from the Digital Pāḷi Dictionary; morphology and etymology by Claude.

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