View source for Ą

{{Short description|Latin letter A with ogonek}}
{{distinguish|A with ogonek (Cyrillic)}}
{{Refimprove|date=January 2013}}
[[File:Latin letter A with ogonek.svg|thumb|Latin A with ogonek.]]

'''Ą''' ([[Lower case|minuscule]]: ''ą'') is a letter in the [[Polish alphabet|Polish]], [[Kashubian alphabet|Kashubian]], [[Lithuanian alphabet|Lithuanian]], [[Creek language|Creek]], [[Navajo language|Navajo]], [[Western Apache]], [[Chiricahua language|Chiricahua]], [[Osage language|Osage]], [[Winnebago language|Hocąk]], [[Mescalero language|Mescalero]], [[Gwich'in language|Gwich'in]], [[Tutchone language|Tutchone]], and [[Elfdalian]] alphabets. It is also used for reconstructing [[Proto-Germanic]] (e.g., for representing the ending of ''a-'' stem neuter nouns).

It is formed from the letter ''a'' and an [[ogonek]] ("little tail") and usually, except in modern Lithuanian and Polish, denotes a nasal ''a'' sound.

== Polish ==
In the [[Polish alphabet]], ''ą'' comes after ''a'', but never appears at the beginning of a word, aside from the uncommon [https://sjp.pl/%C4%85k%C5%82y ąkły]. Originally, ''ą'' used to represent a [[nasal vowel|nasal]] ''a'' sound, but in modern times, its pronunciation has shifted to a nasal ''o'' sound. The letter does not have one determined pronunciation and instead, its pronunciation is dependent on the sounds that follow it.

=== Pronunciation ===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Pronunciation of ''ą'' depending on its position
! rowspan="2" |Position
! colspan="2" |Pronunciation
! colspan="3" |Example
|-
!Phonemic
!Phonetic
!Orthography
!Pronunciation
(phonemic)
!Pronunciation
(phonetic)
|-
|''ą'' + ''f'', ''w'', ''s'', ''z'', ''sz'', ''ż'', ''rz'', ''h'', ''ch''; word-finally
| rowspan="2" |{{IPA|/ɔŋ/}}
|{{IPA|[ɔw̃]}}
|{{Audio|LL-Q809_(pol)-Poemat-są.wav|są|help=no}} ('they are')
|{{IPA|/sɔŋ/}}
|{{IPA|[sɔw̃]}}
|-
|''ą'' + ''k'', ''g''
|{{IPA|[ɔŋ]}}
|{{Audio|Pl-mąka.ogg|mąka|help=no}} ('flour')
|{{IPA|/ˈmɔŋka/}}
|{{IPA|[ˈmɔŋka]}}
|-
|''ą'' + ''t'', ''d'', ''c'', ''dz'', ''cz'', ''dż''
|{{IPA|/ɔn/}}
|{{IPA|[ɔn̪]}}
|{{Audio|Pl-błąd.ogg|błąd|help=no}} ('error')
|{{IPA|/bwɔnt/}}
|{{IPA|[bwɔn̪t̪]}}
|-
|''ą'' + ''p'', ''b''
|{{IPA|/ɔm/}}
|{{IPA|[ɔm]}}
|{{Audio|Pl-ząb.ogg|ząb|help=no}} ('tooth')
|{{IPA|/zɔmp/}}
|{{IPA|[zɔmp]}}
|-
|''ą'' + ''ś'', ''ź'', ''ć'', ''dź'', ''si'', ''zi'', ''ci'', ''dzi''
|{{IPA|/ɔɲ/}}
|{{IPA|[ɔj̃]}}
|{{Audio|Pl-bądź.ogg|bądź|help=no}} ([[imperative mood|imperative]] 'be')
|{{IPA|/bɔɲt͡ɕ/}}
|{{IPA|[bɔj̃t͡ɕ]}}
|-
|''ą'' + ''l'', ''ł''
|{{IPA|/ɔ/}}
|{{IPA|[ɔ]}}
|wziął ('he took')
|{{IPA|/vʑɔw/}}
|{{IPA|[vʑɔw]}}
|}
In some dialects, word-final ''ą'' is also pronounced as {{IPA|/ɔm/}}; thus, {{lang|pl|robią}} is occasionally pronounced as {{IPA|[ˈrɔbjɔm]}}.

=== History ===
Polish ''ą'' sound evolved from a long nasal ''a'' sound of medieval Polish into a short nasal ''o'' sound in the modern language. The medieval vowel, along with its short counterpart, evolved in turn from the merged nasal *''ę'' and *''ǫ'' of Late [[Proto-Slavic]].

{| class="wikitable"
|+Evolution
|-
| align="center" | '''Early Proto-Slavic'''
| align="center" | *em/*en/*im/*in and *am/*an/*um/*un
|-
| align="center" | '''Late Proto-Slavic'''
| align="center" | {{IPA|/ẽ/}} and {{IPA|/õ/}}, transcribed {{angle bracket|ę}} and {{angle bracket|ǫ}}
|-
| align="center" | '''Medieval Polish'''
| align="center" | short and long {{IPA|/ã/}}, sometimes written approx. {{angle bracket|ø}}
|-
| align="center" | '''Modern Polish'''
| align="center" | short {{IPA|/ã/}} → {{IPA|/ɛŋ/}}, {{IPA|/ɛn/}}, {{IPA|/ɛm/}}…, written {{angle bracket|ę}}<br>
long {{IPA|/ã/}} → {{IPA|/ɔŋ/}}, {{IPA|/ɔn/}}, {{IPA|/ɔm/}}…, written {{angle bracket|ą}}
|}

Another explanation is connected to the adoption of the Old Czech-style orthography of the [[Latin alphabet]] to write Polish at the turn of the 16th century. In Poland-Lithuania, Latin still dominated in writing in the [[Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)|Kingdom of Poland]], and the [[Cyrillic]]-based vernacular of [[Ruthenian language|Ruthenian]] had been in official use in the [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]] since the 13th century. In pronunciation, the [[Early Cyrillic Alphabet|Church Cyrillic]] letter [[big yus]] (Ѫ ѫ) corresponds to the pronunciation of the Polish ''ą''. However, it is [[yus|little yus]] (Ѧ ѧ), which is phonetically similar to ''ę'' and, more importantly, shares visual resemblances with the Latin alphabet initial letter (A, a) plus an [[ogonek]], that some believe led to ogonek's introduction. This, according to proponents of the theory, resulted in the letter ''ą'' for denoting the nasal ''o'', when it logically should have been ''ǫ'' rather than ''ą''. When the ogonek had already been in place as the diacritic for marking nasality in vowels, it was appended to ''e'', resulting in ''ę'' for nasal ''e''.<ref>[[Tomasz Kamusella]]. 2019. [https://neweasterneurope.eu/2019/12/12/is-hot-air-mightier-than-states/  Is hot air mightier than states? The big Central European history of a little tail (ogonek). ''New Eastern Europe''. 12 Dec.]</ref>

=== Alternations ===
The letter often alternates with {{lang|pl|[[ę]]}}.
* 'tooth': {{lang|pl|ząb}} → {{lang|pl|zęby}} ('teeth'),
*'snake': {{lang|pl|wąż}} → {{lang|pl|węże}} ('snakes')
*'husband' in [[nominative]]: {{lang|pl|mąż}} → {{lang|pl|z mężem}} ('with husband', in [[instrumental case]])
*'weight': {{lang|pl|ciężar}} → {{lang|pl|ciążyć}} ('to weigh down, to be a burden'),
*'month': {{lang|pl|miesiąc}} → {{lang|pl|miesięczny}} ('monthly'),
*'judge': {{lang|pl|sędzia}} → {{lang|pl|sądzić}} ('to judge, think')
*'row' in [[nominative]]: {{lang|pl|rząd}} → {{lang|pl|cztery razy z rzędu}} ('four times in a row', [[genitive case]])
However, in words derived from {{lang|pl|rząd}} ('government'), the vowel does not change. Thus, {{lang|pl|rządu}} ([[genitive case|genitive]] of {{lang|pl|rząd}}) retains the {{lang|pl|ą}}, e.g., {{lang|pl|rozporządzenie rządu}} ('government's ordinance').

== Lithuanian ==
In modern [[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]], it is no longer nasal and is now pronounced as a [[long vowel|long]] ''a''. It is the second letter of the [[Lithuanian alphabet]] called {{lang|lt|a nosinė}} (nasal ''a'').

The letter is most often found at the end of the noun to construct an ending of [[accusative case]], as in {{lang|lt|aslą}} {{IPA|[aːslaː]}}, the accusative of {{lang|lt|asla}} (ground, floor); both ''a'' and ''ą'' in {{lang|lt|aslą}} are pronounced {{IPA|[aː]}} (a [[long vowel|long]] ''a''). Thus, ''ą'' is used to distinguish between the transcription of accusative and the [[Nominative case|nominative]] cases of the noun {{lang|lt|asla}}.

It is also used when converting [[present tense]] [[verb]]s into [[participle]]s, e.g.,  ({{lang|lt|matąs}} (somebody who is seeing ({{lang|lt|matyti}}) right now).

Nasal ''an'' forms are now pronounced {{IPA|[aː]}}, as in {{lang|lt|sąrašas}} (list) and  {{lang|lt|san-grąža}} (turnover, return).

In most cases if a nasal vowel, such as ą, ę, į, ų, appear in the root of an infinitive verb it becomes nasalized, as in kąsti - kanda, kęsti - kenčia, įlįsti - įlindo, skųsti - skundžią.

In some cases, ''ą'', ''[[ę]]'' and ''[[į]]'' (but never ''[[ė]]'')  may be used in different forms, as in {{lang|lt|tąsa}} (extension) – {{lang|lt|tęsia}} (extends) – {{lang|lt|tįsoti}} (to lie extended). Finally, some verbs have it in the middle of a word but only in the [[present tense]], e.g., ({{lang|lt|bąla}} (is getting white), but not {{lang|lt|pabalo}} (has become white).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://algdas.blogas.lt/1140-1140.html|title = 39a. Gramatika}}</ref> 

The letter can also be found at the beginning of several words, e.g., {{lang|lt|ąsotis}} {{IPA|[aːsoːtis]}} (jug).

== The Americas ==
[[File:Ogonek-european-natamerican.svg|thumb|right|The ogonek in European languages is attached to the right leg of A.<br> Sometimes, in Native American languages, it is under the middle of A.]]
{{Expand section|date=June 2008}}
In some indigenous languages of the Americas, the letter denotes a nasal ''a'' sound:
* [[Western Apache]]
* [[Chiricahua language|Chiricahua]]
* [[Creek language|Creek]]
* [[Gwich'in language|Gwich'in]]
* [[Winnebago language|Hochunk]]
* [[Mescalero language|Mescalero]]
* [[Navajo language|Navajo]]
* [[Tutchone language|Tutchone]]
* Assiniboine/Nakoda

== Elfdalian ==
{{Expand section|date=March 2015}}
The [[Elfdalian]] alphabet contains the letters that occur in the [[Swedish alphabet]] as well as various letters with [[ogonek]] to denote nasality. ''Ą'' and ''ą'' denote a nasal ''a'' sound.

==Reconstructed language==

Scholars who have reconstructed the [[Proto-Germanic language]] (the ancestor of all modern [[Germanic languages]], spoken c. 500 BC – AD 500) use the letter ''ą'' to denote a [[nasal vowel]].

==Computing codes==
{{charmap
|0104|name1=LATIN CAPITAL LETTER A WITH OGONEK
|0105|name2=LATIN SMALL LETTER A WITH OGONEK
}}

== See also ==
* [[Ę]]
* [[Ogonek]]
* [[Kashubian alphabet]]
* [[Lithuanian alphabet]]
* [[Elfdalian alphabet]]
* [[Polish phonology]]
* [[Polish alphabet]]
* [[Yus]]

{{Latin script}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:A}}
[[Category:Latin letters with diacritics|A-ogonek]]
[[Category:Lithuanian language]]
[[Category:Polish letters with diacritics]]