Etymology Learned borrowing from Latin -a (nominative first declension neuter singular suffix)
1
Morpheme Marks singular nouns, with a foundation in Greek or Latin, often implying femininity, especially when contrasted with words terminating in -us.
2
Morpheme Changes an element or substance into an oxide.
Etymology Added especially for metrical reasons, or as an empty filler syllable.
1
Morpheme Added for metrical reasons to songs, poetry and verse, or as an empty filler syllable to other speech.
A merry heart goes all the day Your sad tires in a mile-ac. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
I love to sing-a / about the moon-a and the June-a and the spring-a, / I love to sing-a / about a sky of blue-a, or a tea for two-a.1936 July 18, Leon Schlesinger (producer) / Norman Spencer (music), I Love to Singa
3 more examples
I wanna wanna wanna wanna wanna wanna really wanna be just like the Lord So every day Im gonna gonna read the Book and rest upon-a God's own holy Word Of good in me there's none-a none-a that's okay because I'm gonna trust upon the work that's done-a on the Cross and Jesus is the one-a one-a God the Father's Son-a Son-a and my sin He cures!1980s, Herb Owen, “Wanna”, in Kids Sing Praise, performed by Kids Sing Praise:
Buying bread from a man in Brussels He was six-foot-four and full of muscle I said, "Do you speak-a my language?" He just smiled and gave me a Vegemite sandwich […]1981, Colin Hay, Ron Strykert, performed by Men At Work, Down Under:
"I'm-a tell-a you why you better be. I named you in my will, Franco."2014, Don Pendleton, California Hit, Open Road Media, →ISBN:
-a
suffix
Etymology Contraction of of.
1
Clitic, Morpheme, Slang Clitic form of o' (contraction of of).
buncha, cuppa, kinda, loadsa, lotta, sorta
"Jesus Christ! Was my folks refined. My mam she wouldn't think-a lettin' us young'uns call a pee pot a pee pot. A chamber's what she called it... And by God! Us young'uns had ter call the pee pot a chamber or git our God damn necks wrang."1946, Elizabeth Metzger Howard, Before the Sun Goes Down, page 31:
Yeah, Flav, I'm tired of them dissing brothers in the P.E. out there, we got to do something about this/(What-a we do? What-a we do?)1988, Living Colour, “Funny Vibe”, Epic:
-a
suffix
Etymology A pronunciation spelling of -er, representing the unstressed schwa /ə/ in non-rhotic dialects.