Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/knēaną

This Proto-Germanic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Germanic

Etymology

Likely from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (“to know”), the same root as *kunnaną, but the exact mode of derivation is unclear. It may reflect a back-formation from an older *knō-, which could be an original perfective or stative formation.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈknɛː.ɑ.nɑ̃/

Verb

*knēaną

1. to know, recognise, understand

Inflection

Conjugation of *knēaną (strong class 7d)

	active voice			passive voice
present tense	indicative	subjunctive	imperative	indicative	subjunctive
1st singular	*knēō	*knēaų	—	*knēai	?
2nd singular	*knēizi	*knēaiz	*knē	*knēazai	*knēaizau
3rd singular	*knēidi	*knēai	*knēadau	*knēadai	*knēaidau
1st dual	*knēōz	*knēaiw	—	—	—
2nd dual	*knēadiz	*knēaidiz	*knēadiz	—	—
1st plural	*knēamaz	*knēaim	—	*knēandai	*knēaindau
2nd plural	*knēid	*knēaid	*knēid	*knēandai	*knēaindau
3rd plural	*knēandi	*knēain	*knēandau	*knēandai	*knēaindau
past tense	indicative	subjunctive
1st singular	*keknō	*keknōį̄
2nd singular	*keknōt	*keknōīz
3rd singular	*keknō	*keknōī
1st dual	*keknōū	*keknōīw
2nd dual	*keknōudiz	*keknōīdiz
1st plural	*keknōum	*keknōīm
2nd plural	*keknōud	*keknōīd
3rd plural	*keknōun	*keknōīn
	present	past
participles	*knēandz	*knēanaz

Related terms

• *kannijaną
• *knēdiz
• *knēiz
• *kunnaną

Descendants

• Proto-West Germanic: *knāan
  • Old English: cnāwan
    • Middle English: knawen, knowen
      • Scots: knaw
      • English: know
      • Yola: knou, knouwe
  • Old Saxon: knāian
  • Old High German: knājan, knāen, knāan, chnāan, chnāhan
• Old Norse: kná (present indicative form) (a defective verb; present infinitive *knega is unattested)
  • Icelandic: knega