The reason is that "meta" often indicates a higher level of abstraction or a more reflective perspective. There's no one-word prefix that consistently expresses the opposite of that idea.
Here's why it's tricky:
* "Meta" means "beyond" or "about": So the opposite could be "within" or "about itself."
* "Meta" is used in many contexts: Meta-analysis, meta-narrative, meta-cognition, etc. The opposite would depend on the specific context.
Possible approaches to express the opposite:
* Specific prefixes: You might use prefixes like "sub-", "infra-", or "intra-" depending on the specific context.
* Descriptive phrases: Instead of a single prefix, you could use phrases like "at the object level," "within the system," or "directly relating to the data."
Examples:
* Meta-analysis: Instead of "opposite of meta-analysis," you might say "individual study analysis" or "primary data analysis."
* Meta-cognition: You might use "cognition" or "thinking about the task at hand" to convey the opposite.
Ultimately, the best way to convey the opposite of "meta" depends on the specific context and what you want to emphasize.