*kunnan

Reconstruction

Ringe and Taylor reconstruct *kunnan for Proto-West Germanic,^[1] and Wiktionary has the same form.^[2]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *kunnaną (“to know, to be able”),^[2][3] which Kroonen cites by its stem *kunnan- and Köbler as *kunnan.^[3][4] EWA reconstructs the Proto-Germanic present *kann, *kunnum and the past *kunþōn.^[5]

Morphology

A preterite-present verb.^[3][5] The second singular present, canst and Old Saxon and Old High German kanst, took its *-st from *waist "you know" and *mōst "you may".^[1] Ringe and Taylor date this spread to well after Proto-West Germanic had begun to diversify, though it went through the whole West Germanic area.^[1] They add that a past participle *kunnan "known" might be reconstructed for Proto-West Germanic, on the basis of Old English oncunnen (“accused”) and Old High German vercunnan (“despaired of”), though such participles could also have arisen separately.^[6]

Evidence

The verb is attested in all the West Germanic languages, with the present singular and plural and the past singular Old English can, cunnon, cūđa, Old Frisian kann, kunnon, kūthe, Old Saxon kann, kunnun, konsta and Old High German kann, kunnun, konda.^[5] Old Dutch has kunnon and other forms in Williram's commentary of about 1100,^[7] and Old High German has the verb from the 8th century.^[5] De Vaan derives Dutch kunnen from *kunnan, and notes Middle Dutch forms with a long vowel in South Brabant and Flanders beside the usual connen.^[8]

Meanings

1. to know, to recognise^[2]
2. to know how, to be able^[2]

Old English also used the verb for "to be capable",^[9] Old Frisian for "to be skilled in, to master",^[10] and Old Saxon for "to understand".^[11]

Derivatives

• *kunnēn "to get to know, to test", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[12] Old English has cunnian beside the preterite-present.^[13]
• *kannijan "to make known", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[14] Kroonen calls the Proto-Germanic verb, the source of Old English cennan and Old Dutch kennan, the causative of *kunnan-.^[15]
• *kunþ "known", which Wiktionary reconstructs;^[16] Kroonen lists Proto-Germanic *kunþa- "known" among the words of this root.^[17]

Reflexes

• Old English: cunnan (“to know, to be acquainted with, to be capable, to be able”)^[9]
• Old Frisian: kunna (“to be able, to be skilled in, to master”)^[10]
• Old Saxon: kunnan (“to be able, to know, to understand”)^[11]
• Old Dutch: kunnen (“to be able”)^[7]
• Old High German: kunnan (“to know, to master, to know how, to be able”)^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 101
2. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *kunnan
3. ^ a b c Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 311
4. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *kunnan
5. ^ a b c d e Lloyd, Albert L.; Springer, Otto; Lühr, Rosemarie, et al. (1988–), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Althochdeutschen, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht; online ewa.saw-leipzig.de, p. s.v. kunnan
6. ^ Ringe, Don; Taylor, Ann (2014), The Development of Old English, A Linguistic History of English II, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 78
7. ^ a b Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org, p. s.v. kunnen
8. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2017), The Dawn of Dutch: Language Contact in the Western Low Countries before 1200, NOWELE Supplement Series 30, Amsterdam / Philadelphia: John Benjamins, p. 365
9. ^ a b Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. cunnan
10. ^ a b Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. kunna
11. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. kunnan
12. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *kunnēn
13. ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. cunnan
14. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *kannijan
15. ^ Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 280
16. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *kunþ
17. ^ Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 312