adnabod

Welsh

Etymology

From Middle Welsh adnabot, from an adjective form related to Proto-Celtic *ati-gninati (to know) (compare Old Irish ad·gnin) compounded with bod (to be), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵn̥néh₃ti, a nasal-infix present of *ǵneh₃- (to know).

The form adwaen is from Proto-Celtic *ati-uɸo-gninati.

Pronunciation

Verb

adnabod (first-person singular present adwaen)

  1. to recognize (to match in memory; to know from a previous encounter)
  2. (literary) to know (be acquainted or familiar with)
    Synonym: (colloquial) nabod

Usage notes

Only used of people and places, never facts. ‘To know’ a fact is gwybod.

In the literary language, this verb means ‘recognize’/‘know’ (in the sense of French connaître and German kennen); in the colloquial language it means only ‘recognize’, while ‘know’ is nabod.

Conjugation

Derived terms

  • adnabyddiaeth (knowledge, acquaintance)
  • adnabyddus (well-known)
  • cerdyn adnabod (identity card, ID)
  • nabod (to know (be acquainted or familiar with)) (colloquial)

Mutation

Mutated forms of adnabod
radical soft nasal h-prothesis
adnabod unchanged unchanged hadnabod

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

  • R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “adwaen”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies