Yes, despite its robust set of word sources, English is oddly impoverished in this category. We used to have the word 'ken,' which only seems to survive in Scotland:
"I kenned her heart was a' my own; I loved her most sincerely" - Robert Burns
From Middle English kennen, "make known; give instruction to; be aware, know, have knowledge of, know how to; recognize by sight; see, catch sight of," a very common verb, from Old English cennan "make known, declare, acknowledge"
When I learned Swedish, I found their derivative of his word (känna) quite useful. Shame that we let it fade away.
Comprehend? Understand? I guess you have a point in that it isn't so clear there is a different meaning like you point out. Comprehend is like comprenez I suppose.
How did this happen since, from what I've been told, English has more words in total than those other languages? I feel a bit afraid of finding out what we've wasted them on.
To "know" and to "understand" both intertwine on shakey ground. I suggest that until a full understanding of a learned knowledge is acquired, the K in the word know should be pronounced as well (Keno) eg "I Keno how to play golf".
Didn't you read Gilbert Ryle while at University? He made a distinction between "Knowing How" and "Knowing that" which is identical to the one you are talking about here. I wrote a little fable about that distinction you might like. https://www.academia.edu/5022039/No_Wing_Hao_And_No_Wing_Dat
Similar difference between “Internet” and “intranet”, where “Internet” is networked savoir-faire, and “intranet” is controlled savoir-faire. Not at all the same difference, but if you’re part of an intranet (like “John Cleese Substack Subscribers”, then you consciously follow a set of rules; whereas if you’re part of the Internet, you know what to do next but you don’t know why.
The northern tribes have many words for "snow." I guess by the same token, when a culture has a paucity of something, they don't need a lot of words for it.
There are many examples of this and, for me, assumed more relevance living amongst French friends who “tactfully” corrected me- contributing to my fluency. This was never part of my school learning. My big question to John - why do they call objects male or female ? Will they now have trans - although suppose their neuter is half way there!
Yes, despite its robust set of word sources, English is oddly impoverished in this category. We used to have the word 'ken,' which only seems to survive in Scotland:
"I kenned her heart was a' my own; I loved her most sincerely" - Robert Burns
From Middle English kennen, "make known; give instruction to; be aware, know, have knowledge of, know how to; recognize by sight; see, catch sight of," a very common verb, from Old English cennan "make known, declare, acknowledge"
When I learned Swedish, I found their derivative of his word (känna) quite useful. Shame that we let it fade away.
I ken the kine and kin are keen on it.
In English, we really put "know" through its paces:
"Although it had been 30 years, I knew her instantly"
"Don't worry - I know CPR"
"I sat by his bedside at least a hundred times, speaking words of encouragement, though he never knew it"
"Sometimes you just know"
Comprehend? Understand? I guess you have a point in that it isn't so clear there is a different meaning like you point out. Comprehend is like comprenez I suppose.
How did this happen since, from what I've been told, English has more words in total than those other languages? I feel a bit afraid of finding out what we've wasted them on.
The original use of woke, hip...But not in verb form.
To "know" and to "understand" both intertwine on shakey ground. I suggest that until a full understanding of a learned knowledge is acquired, the K in the word know should be pronounced as well (Keno) eg "I Keno how to play golf".
Do we know anything or have we just stopped observing it in flux? Knowing carries responsibility that no one wants to assume.
Didn't you read Gilbert Ryle while at University? He made a distinction between "Knowing How" and "Knowing that" which is identical to the one you are talking about here. I wrote a little fable about that distinction you might like. https://www.academia.edu/5022039/No_Wing_Hao_And_No_Wing_Dat
Similar difference between “Internet” and “intranet”, where “Internet” is networked savoir-faire, and “intranet” is controlled savoir-faire. Not at all the same difference, but if you’re part of an intranet (like “John Cleese Substack Subscribers”, then you consciously follow a set of rules; whereas if you’re part of the Internet, you know what to do next but you don’t know why.
The northern tribes have many words for "snow." I guess by the same token, when a culture has a paucity of something, they don't need a lot of words for it.
There are many examples of this and, for me, assumed more relevance living amongst French friends who “tactfully” corrected me- contributing to my fluency. This was never part of my school learning. My big question to John - why do they call objects male or female ? Will they now have trans - although suppose their neuter is half way there!
Such as jack, diddely, and squat. (I'm an American too so, no offense.)
I've always laughed at the term, "I know, right?" Don't ask me, you're the one who claims to know.