unbekannt German · revision 36064

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Middle High German}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈʊnbəkant/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''unbekannt''' (strong nominative masculine singular unbekannter, comparative unbekannter, superlative am unbekanntesten)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|gmh|unbekant]] (also [[m|gmh|unbekennet]]), formed [[af|gmh|un-|bekant|t2=known]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|24, 298) That adjective is the past participle of [[m|gmh|bekennen|t=to know, recognize]], which became the independent adjective [[bekannt]]; the old sense “to know” of the verb survives in it.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kluge 2011|107) The same formation is [[gml|unbekant]], [[dum|onbekant]], [[nl|onbekend]] and [[sv|obekant]].^(DWB|24, 298) Compare [[en|unbeknownst]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In Middle High German and Early New High German the word meant “not recognizable, unrecognized, little known”, and also “unforeseen”: the mystic Heinrich Seuse writes of a man who died ''eins unbekanten todes'', a sudden death, rendering Latin [[m|la|imprōvīsus|alt=morte improvisa]].^(DWB|24, 298) Early New High German also had the form ''unbekennt''.^(DWB|24, 298)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “unrecognized, incognito” became rarer in the 18th century and then disappeared;^(DWB|24, 298) Goethe could still contrast the two, saying that one goes through the world either ''unbekannt'' or ''unerkannt''.^(DWB|24, 298) The dialects often prefer other words, such as ''ungekannt'' or ''unerkannt''.^(DWB|24, 298) Adelung notes that the oldest writers, the Old High German Isidor translator and Otfrid, used [[m|goh|unkund]] instead.^(Adelung 1793)

+

+ The litotes ''er ist mir nicht unbekannt'' “he is not unknown to me” is frequent from Luther on.^(Paul 2002) In mathematics, a 16th-century rule of three seeks “the fourth unknown” number from three known ones.^(Paul 2002) From the 19th century the noun ''die Unbekannte'' is the unknown quantity of an equation.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999) In law, a complaint is filed ''gegen Unbekannt'', against persons unknown.^(Paul 2002)^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * Middle High German – ''unbekant'' and ''unbekennet'' are in use.^(Pfeifer 1993)^(DWB|24, 298)

+ * 16th century – A rule of three speaks of “the fourth unknown” number.^(Paul 2002)

+ * 18th century – The sense “unrecognized” becomes rare.^(DWB|24, 298)

+ * 19th century – ''die Unbekannte'' is used for the unknown quantity in mathematics.^(Paul 2002)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Not known to someone, or to anyone; [[m|en|unknown]], [[m|en|unfamiliar]]: ''Der Absender des Pakets ist unbekannt.''^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Not well known, not [[m|en|famous]]: ''ein noch unbekannter Maler''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[Unbekannte]]

+ * [[Unbekannter]]

+ * [[Unbekanntheit]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bekannt]]

+ * [[kennen]]

+ * [[bekennen]]

+ * [[unerkannt]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Empfänger unbekannt'' “addressee unknown” is the note on undeliverable mail, and ''eine unbekannte Größe'' is an unknown quantity, in mathematics and of a person whose abilities are not yet known.^(Duden GWDS 1999) Used as a noun, ''ein Unbekannter'' is a stranger, and ''kein Unbekannter'' someone already well known.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}