It is likely that this preposition was initially used only with pronominal suffixes (which is the state of affairs in most languages), but later also obtained the function of introducing a nominal object in Canaanite and Aramaic languages (Joüon–Muraoka 2005:344). MSA forms are explicable only if one assumes the loss of initial ˀ. The nature of initial k in Geez kiyā- which most scholars trace back to this preposition remains uncertain (Arakelova 2001:38).