bekannt German · revision 35004

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1120–1130, Reimphysiologus|origins=gem-pro *kannijaną}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /bəˈkant/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''bekannt''' (strong nominative masculine singular bekannter, comparative bekannter, superlative am bekanntesten)^(Wiktionary)

+ A form ''bekennt'' is occasionally recorded, in Kirchhof (1563), Anzengruber and East Prussian dialect.^(DWB2|4, 858)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|bekant]], originally a past participle: the verb is [[m|gmh|bekennen|t=to know, recognize]], now [[bekennen]].^(Kluge 2011|107)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Duden GWDS 1999) The participle became an adjective because the verb lost its old meaning “to know” and now means “to confess”: verb and participle have drifted apart.^(Kluge 2011|107)^(DWB|1, 1413) The same participle is [[gml|bekant]].^(DWB2|4, 858)

+

+ The verb is [[goh|bikennen]], formed with the prefix [[m|goh|bi-]] on [[kennen]].^(Kluge 2011|107) That verb goes back to [[gem-pro|*kannijaną|t=to make known]], also in [[got|𐌺𐌰𐌽𐌽𐌾𐌰𐌽|tr=kannjan|t=to make known]], [[non|kenna]] and [[ang|cennan|t=to declare]], a causative of the preterite-present verb behind [[können]].^(Kluge 2011|486)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The earliest quotation is from the Middle High German Reimphysiologus (about 1120–1130), where ''bechant'' means “knowing, aware”: we are reminded that we are mortal.^(DWB2|4, 858)^(Köbler MHD) Kluge dates the word to the 13th century.^(Kluge 2011|107)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The old sense “knowing, skilled, familiar with a place” lasted into modern times and survives in dialects: Seuse (about 1362) speaks of a ''wolgeuͤpter bekanter mensch'', and Rollenhagen (1603) of travellers ''der örther nicht bekant''.^(DWB2|4, 858) In Luther it could still mean “confessing”, as in ''der that bekand sind'' “who confess the deed”.^(DWB|1, 1413)

+

+ The sense “known, not strange” took over, in phrases such as ''es ist allgemein bekannt'' and in the Bible's ''denn sein name war nu bekand'' (Mark 6:14).^(DWB|1, 1413) With ''werden'' and ''sein'' the participle could replace the verb, and ''bekannt machen'' became its causative.^(Kluge 2011|107) Before the 18th century the word was rarely used attributively.^(DWB2|4, 858) Applied to people in public life it came to mean “famous”.^(Paul 2002) Adelung recorded the colloquial ''er thut sehr bekannt mit mir'' “he behaves very familiarly with me”, and rejected the feminine ''Bekanntinn'', which Hagedorn and Lessing still used.^(Adelung 1793)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ The noun ''Bekannte'' “acquaintance” dates from the 15th century, ''Bekanntschaft'' from 1678 and ''Bekanntmachung'' “public notice” from the 17th century.^(Paul 2002)^(Pfeifer 1993) The adverb ''bekanntlich'' “as is well known” spread from the language of the chanceries.^(Kluge 2011|107)^(Duden 7 2014)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1120–1130 – ''bechant'' “knowing” is used in the Reimphysiologus.^(DWB2|4, 858)

+ * 1262 – The word appears in a charter.^(Köbler MHD)

+ * 13th century – Kluge's date for the word.^(Kluge 2011|107)

+ * 15th century – The noun ''Bekannte'' “acquaintance” appears.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 16th century – In arithmetic, a rule of three ''bekanten zalen'' finds the fourth, unknown one.^(Paul 2002)

+ * Mid-17th century – ''Bekanntmachung'' “public notice” appears.^(Pfeifer 1993)

+ * 1678 – ''Bekanntschaft'' is recorded.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 18th century – ''Bekanntheit'' appears.^(Duden 7 2014)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|known]] to many, [[m|en|familiar]]: ''ein bekanntes Lied''.^(Duden GWDS 1999) With ''für'': known for: ''Die Gegend ist bekannt für ihren Wein.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|famous]], well known: ''eine bekannte Schauspielerin''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # In ''jemandem bekannt sein'': to be known to someone, not new to them;^(Duden GWDS 1999) ''davon ist mir nichts bekannt'' “I know nothing about it”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+ # In ''bekannt werden'': to become public.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # In ''jemandem bekannt vorkommen'': to seem familiar to someone.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+ # In ''mit jemandem bekannt sein'': to be [[m|en|acquainted]] with someone;^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002) ''jemanden mit jemandem bekannt machen'' “to introduce someone to someone”.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Bekannte]]

+ * [[bekanntlich]]

+ * [[Bekanntschaft]]

+ * [[Bekanntheit]]

+ * [[bekanntgeben]]

+ * [[bekanntmachen]]

+ * [[Bekanntmachung]]

+ * [[unbekannt]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bekennen]]

+ * [[kennen]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}