Wissen German · revision 36201

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1300, Meister Eckhart|origins=ine-pro *weyd-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈvɪsən/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''Wissen''' ''n'' (genitive Wissens, no plural)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the verb [[wissen]] used as a noun, [[inh|gmh|wizzen|t=knowledge]].^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary DE)^(DWB|30, 743) The verb continues [[goh|wizzan]], [[gem-pro|*witaną|t=to know]], an old preterite-present whose present singular [[gem-pro|*wait]] is a perfect without reduplication.^(Kluge 2011|992)^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Wiktionary) The same verb is [[got|𐍅𐌹𐍄𐌰𐌽|tr=witan]], [[non|vita]], [[ang|witan]] and [[osx|witan]].^(Pfeifer 1993)^(Kluge 2011|992)

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+ The present singular matches the perfect [[ine-pro|*wóyde|t=has seen, knows]], also in [[sa|वेद|tr=véda]], [[grc|οἶδα|tr=oîda]] and [[cu|вѣдѣ|tr=vědě]].^(Kluge 2011|992)^(Pfeifer 1993) The perfect describes the state reached through the act of [[ine-pro|*weyd-|t=to see, find]]: “I have seen” and so “I know”.^(Kluge 2011|992)^(Pfeifer 1993) The present sense “see” survives in [[la|videō|t=to see]] and [[m|cu|видѣти|tr=viděti|t=to see]].^(Kluge 2011|992)^(Pfeifer 1993)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old High German still had no regular noun ''wissen''.^(DWB|30, 743) In Middle High German the neuter ''wizzen'' is recorded mainly in the mystics: Meister Eckhart and Tauler use it for knowledge of God and the self.^(DWB|30, 743) Beside it stood a feminine ''diu wizzen'' “knowledge”, from the 14th century in the chancery formulas ''mit rechter wissen'' and ''mit wissen und willen'' (“knowingly and willingly”).^(DWB|30, 742)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The noun came into general use only in Early New High German, as “news, information, knowledge”, above all in fixed phrases: ''ein Wissen haben'' “to have knowledge of something” was usual in the 16th century.^(DWB|30, 743) The legal pair ''mit Wissen und Willen'' is found in charters from 1349 and in Luther;^(DWB|30, 743) ''ohne mein Wissen'' “without my knowledge” goes back to the same formulas.^(DWB|30, 743) Today the word means above all the whole of what someone knows, and ''Wissen ist Macht'' renders a saying of Francis Bacon.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

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+ Modern Hebrew uses the German word as [[he|ויסן|tr=visen|t=knowledge]].^(LWP)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1300 – Meister Eckhart uses the neuter noun ''wizzen''.^(DWB|30, 743)

+ * 1349 – The charter formula ''mit wizzen und willin'' is recorded.^(DWB|30, 743)

+ * 16th century – ''ein Wissen haben'' “to know of something” is common.^(DWB|30, 743)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|knowledge]]: the whole of what someone knows, in general or in a particular field: ''Sie hat ein enormes Wissen über alte Musik''.^(Duden GWDS 1999)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Knowledge or [[m|en|awareness]] of a particular thing.^(Duden GWDS 1999) ''meines Wissens'', as far as I know;^(Duden GWDS 1999) ''wider besseres Wissen'', against one's better knowledge;^(Duden GWDS 1999) ''nach bestem Wissen und Gewissen'', to the best of one's knowledge and belief.^(Duden GWDS 1999)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[wissentlich]]

+ * [[Wissenschaft]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[wissen]]

+ * [[Gewissen]]

+ * [[bewusst]]

+ * [[gewiss]]

+ * [[weise]]

+ * [[Witz]]

+ * [[en|wit]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}