weten Dutch · revision 37048

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=10th century, Wachtendonck Psalms|origins=ine-pro *weyd-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈʋeːtə(n)/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''weten'''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|dum|weten]], [[inh|odt|witan]], [[inh|gmw-pro|*witan]], [[inh|gem-pro|*witaną|t=to know]].^(EWN)^(Wiktionary) The same verb is [[osx|witan]], [[goh|wizzan]] (modern [[de|wissen]]), [[ofs|wita]], [[ang|witan]] (modern [[en|wit]]), [[non|vita]] and [[got|𐍅𐌹𐍄𐌰𐌽|tr=witan]].^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)^(Franck & Van Wijk 1912)

+

+ It is a preterite-present: the present singular, Middle Dutch [[m|dum|weet]], Old Dutch [[m|odt|weit]], is an old perfect of [[ine-pro|*weyd-|t=to see]], so that having seen came to mean knowing.^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)^(WNT) The same perfect is [[grc|οἶδα|tr=oîda|t=I know]], [[sa|वेद|tr=véda|t=I know]] and [[cu|вѣдѣ|tr=vědě|t=I know]].^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971) Other forms of the root refer to seeing: [[la|videō|t=to see]] and [[lt|veizdėti]].^(EWN)^(De Vries 1971)

+

+ The stem [[m|gem-pro|*wit-]] with a past ending regularly gave [[m|gem-pro|*wiss-]]; because these forms no longer looked like a past tense, a new dental ending was added, which produced Middle Dutch [[m|dum|wiste]].^(EWN)^(WNT) Germanic derivatives of the root are [[wet]], [[wijze]] and [[wijzen]]; [[wis]], meaning certain, is probably an Indo-European formation, and [[wijten]] and [[verwittigen]] are related too.^(EWN)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Old Dutch ''witon'' is recorded in the Wachtendonck Psalms of the 10th century, as in ''Got thu uueist unuuiti mine'' “God, you know my foolishness”, in the sense “to know, be aware of”.^(EWN)^(ONW) Middle Dutch ''wêten'' is found from about 1200.^(De Vries & De Tollenaere 2004|437)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The infinitive was used as a noun from the 13th century: a Ghent ordinance of 1236 allows something only ''bi der schepenen wetene'', with the knowledge of the aldermen.^(VMNW) The modern noun survives in phrases such as ''naar mijn beste weten'' “to the best of my knowledge” and ''tegen beter weten in'' “against one's better judgement”.^(Van Dale 2014) The biblical ''al ons weten is stukwerk'' “all our knowledge is partial” uses ''stuk'' in the sense “part”.^(Van Veen & Van der Sijs 1997)

+

+ ''Weetgierig'' “eager to learn” is recorded in 1590, after the adverb ''weetgierighlijck'' of 1570.^(EWN) With ''te'' and an infinitive the verb means “to manage to”.^(Wiktionary)^(WikiWoordenboek) In northern and eastern dialects the past tense has ''u'' or ''o'' (Groningen, Overijssel, Limburg), and Zeeland has a weak past ''weette''.^(WNT)

+

+ Afrikaans [[m|af|weet]] and Negerhollands ''weet'' continue the word.^(Van der Sijs 2010)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 901–1000 – Old Dutch ''witon'' is recorded in the Wachtendonck Psalms.^(Van der Sijs 2001)^(EWN)

+ * c. 1200 – Middle Dutch ''wêten'' is recorded.^(De Vries & De Tollenaere 2004|437)

+ * 1236 – The noun ''weten'' “knowledge” appears in Ghent.^(VMNW)

+ * 1570 – ''Weetgierighlijck'' “eagerly” is recorded.^(EWN)

+ * 1590 – ''Weetgierig'' is recorded.^(EWN)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(transitive)'' To [[m|en|know]], to be [[m|en|aware]] of: ''Weet jij hoe laat de winkel opengaat?''^(Van Dale 2014)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(transitive)'' To [[m|en|remember]]: ''Weet je nog die zomer in Zeeland?''^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(with te)'' To [[m|en|manage]] to: ''Hij wist op tijd te ontsnappen.''^(Wiktionary)^(WikiWoordenboek)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|knowledge]] of something; in ''buiten mijn weten'', without my knowledge.^(Van Dale 2014)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[betweter]]

+ * [[wetenschap]]

+ * [[alleswetend]]

+ * [[alwetend]]

+ * [[onwetend]]

+ * [[wetenswaardig]]

+ * [[weetal]]

+ * [[weetbegeerte]]

+ * [[weetgierig]]

+ * [[weetgierigheid]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[kennen]]

+ * [[wet]]

+ * [[wijs]]

+ * [[wijten]]

+ * [[verwittigen]]

+ * [[en|wit]]

+ * [[de|wissen]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Flemish Middle Dutch had a separate auxiliary ''weten'' with an infinitive, meaning “let us”, recorded in West Flanders in 1285; the MNW equates it with Old English ''uton'' and links it with an Old Saxon verb “to go”.^(VMNW)^(MNW)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}