In modern Norwegian preverbs have to some extend been restored. Most
of these are adverbs that can be used as a preverb instead of as an
independent word. Sometimes this makes a difference in mening, f.
eks: på-løpe = add itself to , løpe på = run into/collide.
In norwegian using an adverb as a preverb instead of as an
independent word is often a matter of style and the choise of the
speaker/writer.
The german preverb be- has been borrowed into Norwegian, and is very
common, but there is nearly no regular correspondence in meaning
between a verb with or without be-.
>
> BTW Old Norse doesn't have many preverbs (if any), I'm reminded of
> the fact the ge- prefix in German loans in Danish has become a
> shibboleth, many of those words were purged 150 years ago by
purists
> during our wars with the German states.
>
> Torsten