kunnen Dutch · revision 37046

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1100, Old Dutch (Willeram)|origins=ine-pro *ǵneh₃-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈkʏnə(n)/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''kunnen'''^(Wiktionary)

+ The form ''konnen'' was long used beside ''kunnen'' and survives in dialects.^(WNT)^(EWN)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|dum|connen]], [[inh|odt|kunnan]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*kunnan]], [[inh|gem-pro|*kunnaną]].^(EWN)^(Wiktionary) The same verb is [[osx|kunnan]], [[goh|kunnan]] (modern [[de|können]]), [[ofs|kunna]], [[ang|cunnan]] (modern [[en|can]]), [[non|kunna]] and [[got|𐌺𐌿𐌽𐌽𐌰𐌽|tr=kunnan]], all meaning “to know, be able”.^(EWN)^(Kroonen 2013) It is a preterite-present verb: an old perfect, ⟨kann⟩, ⟨kunnum⟩, “I have come to know”, took on present meaning, and a new infinitive and past tense were formed for it.^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)

+

+ It comes from [[ine-pro|*ǵneh₃-|t=to recognise, know]], the root of [[grc|γιγνώσκω|tr=gignṓskō]], [[la|nōscō]] (older ⟨gnōscō⟩), [[sa|जानाति|tr=jānā́ti|t=knows]], [[lt|žinoti]] and [[cu|знати|tr=znati]].^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997) The Germanic stems [[m|gem-pro|*kann-]] and ⟨*kunn-⟩ go back to the perfect [[m|ine-pro|*ǵnóh₃-]], with ⟨-nn-⟩ taken from the weak verb that became [[ang|cunnian|t=to try, get to know]] and [[goh|chunnēn]].^(EWN) The same root gave [[kennen]], [[kond]], [[kunde]] and [[kunst]], and [[en|know]].^(EWN)

+

+ The usual Middle Dutch form was ⟨connen⟩;^(EWN) ⟨cunnen⟩ was eastern and coastal, but in early modern Dutch the infinitive ⟨kunnen⟩ soon became the norm.^(EWN)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The verb is first recorded around 1100 in the Willeram, with ''siu cunnon alle mahtigan wole ueghtan'' “they can all fight very well”.^(EWN)^(Van der Sijs 2001) There it also means “to know”: the doctors of the church ''cunnon thiu sacramenta scripturarum'', know the mysteries of Scripture.^(ONW)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Middle Dutch ''connen'' meant above all to know, to be familiar with: a woman ''kan van arzedie'', knows medicine (1250), and people ''die en geen latijn en conen'' know no Latin (1276–1300).^(EWN)^(VMNW) As an auxiliary with an infinitive it expressed ability and possibility, as in ''of mijn kint ghenesen can'' “whether my child can be healed” (1285).^(EWN)

+

+ The sense “to know” has nearly disappeared from the standard language in the north, except of knowledge that enables one to do something, but it is still general in Belgium.^(WNT) The auxiliary came to cover permission, possibility and wishes or curses, as in ''je kunt de boom in'', “you can get lost”.^(Van Dale 2014)^(WikiWoordenboek) As a noun ''het kunnen'' means a person's ability.^(Van Dale 2014)

+

+ Dutch ''kunnen'' passed into Negerhollands (''kan'', ''ka''), Berbice Dutch, Sranan Tongo (''kan'') and Petjo;^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(Wiktionary) Afrikaans has [[m|af|kan]].^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1100 – Old Dutch ''cunnon'' “they can” appears in the Willeram.^(EWN)^(ONW)^(Van der Sijs 2001)

+ * 1200 – Middle Dutch ''nekunde'' “could not (speak)” is recorded.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+ * 1250 – ''Si kan van arzedie'' “she knows medicine”.^(EWN)^(VMNW)

+ * 1285 – The auxiliary use for possibility is recorded.^(EWN)

+ * 1599 – Kiliaan gives ''kunnen'' and ''konnen''.^(EWN)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To be able to, [[m|en|can]]: ''Zij kan heel goed tekenen.''^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To be allowed to, may: ''Je kunt nu naar binnen.''^(Wiktionary)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+ # To be possible: ''Dat kan niet waar zijn.''^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Expressing a wish or a curse, as in ''je kunt de boom in''.^(Van Dale 2014)

+ # To be able to do, be capable of: ''Hij kan het niet alleen.''^(Wiktionary)

+ # To be able to go somewhere, or to be free for an appointment: ''Kun je dinsdag?''^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Belgium)'' To know, be familiar with: ''Kun jij dat lied?''^(WNT)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(het kunnen)'' Ability, skill.^(Van Dale 2014)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[aankunnen]]

+ * [[afkunnen]]

+ * [[alleskunner]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[kennen]]

+ * [[kond]]

+ * [[kunde]]

+ * [[kunst]]

+ * [[en|can]]

+ * [[de|können]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Buiten iets kunnen'' means to be able to do without it, and ''daar kun je naar fluiten'' tells someone they will not get what they hope for.^(Van Dale 2014) The past tense ''kost'', ''kosten'' was still used beside ''kon'', ''konden'' by many writers into the 19th century, especially in verse.^(WNT)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}