Origins of the word “understand”?
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I'm curious about the word "understand" and based on brief research its origins seem not very clear, https://www.etymonline.com/word/understand
Breaking up the word in two, under-stand, I could make a word-by-word translation into the swedish word under-ställa, which is quite authoric and translates back into "submit under".
It kind of makes sense if the word understand is used in an hierarcical context e.g. military etc. However, when trying to emphasize the kind of understanding that doesn't ask for obedience, but rather a temporary shift of perspective or "theory of mind", could the word "understand" be replaced with a better one?
meaning etymology dialogue
asked Oct 19 at 8:07
user247245
1111
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 6 mins ago
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add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
I'm curious about the word "understand" and based on brief research its origins seem not very clear, https://www.etymonline.com/word/understand
Breaking up the word in two, under-stand, I could make a word-by-word translation into the swedish word under-ställa, which is quite authoric and translates back into "submit under".
It kind of makes sense if the word understand is used in an hierarcical context e.g. military etc. However, when trying to emphasize the kind of understanding that doesn't ask for obedience, but rather a temporary shift of perspective or "theory of mind", could the word "understand" be replaced with a better one?
meaning etymology dialogue
asked Oct 19 at 8:07
user247245
1111
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 6 mins ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
2
Related:english.stackexchange.com/questions/61189/…
– user240918
Oct 19 at 8:14
You have posed 2 questions ... thus an answer is difficult.
– lbf
Oct 31 at 22:34
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
I'm curious about the word "understand" and based on brief research its origins seem not very clear, https://www.etymonline.com/word/understand
Breaking up the word in two, under-stand, I could make a word-by-word translation into the swedish word under-ställa, which is quite authoric and translates back into "submit under".
It kind of makes sense if the word understand is used in an hierarcical context e.g. military etc. However, when trying to emphasize the kind of understanding that doesn't ask for obedience, but rather a temporary shift of perspective or "theory of mind", could the word "understand" be replaced with a better one?
meaning etymology dialogue
asked Oct 19 at 8:07
user247245
1111
I'm curious about the word "understand" and based on brief research its origins seem not very clear, https://www.etymonline.com/word/understand
Breaking up the word in two, under-stand, I could make a word-by-word translation into the swedish word under-ställa, which is quite authoric and translates back into "submit under".
It kind of makes sense if the word understand is used in an hierarcical context e.g. military etc. However, when trying to emphasize the kind of understanding that doesn't ask for obedience, but rather a temporary shift of perspective or "theory of mind", could the word "understand" be replaced with a better one?
meaning etymology dialogue
meaning etymology dialogue
asked Oct 19 at 8:07
user247245
1111
asked Oct 19 at 8:07
user247245
1111
asked Oct 19 at 8:07
user247245
1111
asked Oct 19 at 8:07
user247245
1111
asked Oct 19 at 8:07
user247245
1111
1111
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 6 mins ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
bumped to the homepage by Community♦ 6 mins ago
This question has answers that may be good or bad; the system has marked it active so that they can be reviewed.
2
Related:english.stackexchange.com/questions/61189/…
– user240918
Oct 19 at 8:14
You have posed 2 questions ... thus an answer is difficult.
– lbf
Oct 31 at 22:34
add a comment |
2
Related:english.stackexchange.com/questions/61189/…
– user240918
Oct 19 at 8:14
You have posed 2 questions ... thus an answer is difficult.
– lbf
Oct 31 at 22:34
2
2
Related:english.stackexchange.com/questions/61189/…
– user240918
Oct 19 at 8:14
Related:english.stackexchange.com/questions/61189/…
– user240918
Oct 19 at 8:14
You have posed 2 questions ... thus an answer is difficult.
– lbf
Oct 31 at 22:34
You have posed 2 questions ... thus an answer is difficult.
– lbf
Oct 31 at 22:34
add a comment |
1 Answer
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The OED does not offer much more insight, and there were no obvious connections between any of the definitions of 'under' and any of the definitions of 'stand' that appeared to have the same meaning as 'understand.' I would not read too much into the direct translation of 'under-ställa' since 'understand' is a very old word, and there are cognates in the many of the other Germanic languages with the same meaning as in English:
Old English: understondam,
Old Frisian: understonda,
Middle High and Low German: understân,
Middle Dutch: onderstaen
As a side note, I find it interesting that a similar word in Old English 'forstandan' also had cognates in Old/Middle Dutch and German, 'verstaen' and 'firstantan,' which have survived their 'understood' counterparts in the modern languages.
answered Oct 31 at 21:19
eenbeetje
3036
Yeah, forstandan is also represented in swedish with the commonly used word "förstå". And the word understondam exists with a completely different meaning in swedish, "understundom" which means "sometimes". Oh languages are fun!
– user247245
Nov 1 at 19:12
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
0
down vote
The OED does not offer much more insight, and there were no obvious connections between any of the definitions of 'under' and any of the definitions of 'stand' that appeared to have the same meaning as 'understand.' I would not read too much into the direct translation of 'under-ställa' since 'understand' is a very old word, and there are cognates in the many of the other Germanic languages with the same meaning as in English:
Old English: understondam,
Old Frisian: understonda,
Middle High and Low German: understân,
Middle Dutch: onderstaen
As a side note, I find it interesting that a similar word in Old English 'forstandan' also had cognates in Old/Middle Dutch and German, 'verstaen' and 'firstantan,' which have survived their 'understood' counterparts in the modern languages.
answered Oct 31 at 21:19
eenbeetje
3036
Yeah, forstandan is also represented in swedish with the commonly used word "förstå". And the word understondam exists with a completely different meaning in swedish, "understundom" which means "sometimes". Oh languages are fun!
– user247245
Nov 1 at 19:12
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
The OED does not offer much more insight, and there were no obvious connections between any of the definitions of 'under' and any of the definitions of 'stand' that appeared to have the same meaning as 'understand.' I would not read too much into the direct translation of 'under-ställa' since 'understand' is a very old word, and there are cognates in the many of the other Germanic languages with the same meaning as in English:
Old English: understondam,
Old Frisian: understonda,
Middle High and Low German: understân,
Middle Dutch: onderstaen
As a side note, I find it interesting that a similar word in Old English 'forstandan' also had cognates in Old/Middle Dutch and German, 'verstaen' and 'firstantan,' which have survived their 'understood' counterparts in the modern languages.
answered Oct 31 at 21:19
eenbeetje
3036
Yeah, forstandan is also represented in swedish with the commonly used word "förstå". And the word understondam exists with a completely different meaning in swedish, "understundom" which means "sometimes". Oh languages are fun!
– user247245
Nov 1 at 19:12
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
The OED does not offer much more insight, and there were no obvious connections between any of the definitions of 'under' and any of the definitions of 'stand' that appeared to have the same meaning as 'understand.' I would not read too much into the direct translation of 'under-ställa' since 'understand' is a very old word, and there are cognates in the many of the other Germanic languages with the same meaning as in English:
Old English: understondam,
Old Frisian: understonda,
Middle High and Low German: understân,
Middle Dutch: onderstaen
As a side note, I find it interesting that a similar word in Old English 'forstandan' also had cognates in Old/Middle Dutch and German, 'verstaen' and 'firstantan,' which have survived their 'understood' counterparts in the modern languages.
answered Oct 31 at 21:19
eenbeetje
3036
The OED does not offer much more insight, and there were no obvious connections between any of the definitions of 'under' and any of the definitions of 'stand' that appeared to have the same meaning as 'understand.' I would not read too much into the direct translation of 'under-ställa' since 'understand' is a very old word, and there are cognates in the many of the other Germanic languages with the same meaning as in English:
Old English: understondam,
Old Frisian: understonda,
Middle High and Low German: understân,
Middle Dutch: onderstaen
As a side note, I find it interesting that a similar word in Old English 'forstandan' also had cognates in Old/Middle Dutch and German, 'verstaen' and 'firstantan,' which have survived their 'understood' counterparts in the modern languages.
answered Oct 31 at 21:19
eenbeetje
3036
answered Oct 31 at 21:19
eenbeetje
3036
answered Oct 31 at 21:19
eenbeetje
3036
answered Oct 31 at 21:19
eenbeetje
3036
3036
Yeah, forstandan is also represented in swedish with the commonly used word "förstå". And the word understondam exists with a completely different meaning in swedish, "understundom" which means "sometimes". Oh languages are fun!
– user247245
Nov 1 at 19:12
add a comment |
Yeah, forstandan is also represented in swedish with the commonly used word "förstå". And the word understondam exists with a completely different meaning in swedish, "understundom" which means "sometimes". Oh languages are fun!
– user247245
Nov 1 at 19:12
Yeah, forstandan is also represented in swedish with the commonly used word "förstå". And the word understondam exists with a completely different meaning in swedish, "understundom" which means "sometimes". Oh languages are fun!
– user247245
Nov 1 at 19:12
Yeah, forstandan is also represented in swedish with the commonly used word "förstå". And the word understondam exists with a completely different meaning in swedish, "understundom" which means "sometimes". Oh languages are fun!
– user247245
Nov 1 at 19:12
add a comment |
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2
Related:english.stackexchange.com/questions/61189/…
– user240918
Oct 19 at 8:14
You have posed 2 questions ... thus an answer is difficult.
– lbf
Oct 31 at 22:34