sprecan

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Old Dutch[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-West Germanic *sprekan.

Verb[edit]

sprecan

  1. to speak

Inflection[edit]

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

Derived terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

  • Middle Dutch: sprēken
    • Dutch: spreken
    • Limburgish: spraeke

Further reading[edit]

  • sprekan”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Old English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-West Germanic *sprekan.

Pronunciation[edit]

Verb[edit]

sprecan

  1. to speak, talk
    • c. 890s, The Voyage of Ohthere and Wulfstan
      Þā Finnas, him þūhte, and þā Beormas sprǣcon nēah ān ġeþēode.
      The Sami, it seemed to him, and the Bjarmians spoke almost the same language.
    • c. 990, Wessex Gospels, John 4:27
      His leornungcneohtas wundrodon þæt hē wiþ wīf spræc, þēah heora nān ne cwæþ "Hwæt sēcst þū?" oþþe "Hwæt spricst þū wiþ hīe?"
      His disciples were amazed that he was talking to a woman, though none of them said "What are you looking for?" or "Why are you talking to her?"
    • c. 992, Ælfric, "The Nativity of St. Paul the Apostle"
      Petrus āna spræc for ealne þone hēap.
      Peter by himself spoke for the whole group.
  2. to answer
    • late 10th century, Ælfric, "De libro regum"
      Clypiað git hluddor uncuð þeah þe he slæpe⁠ þæt he huru aƿacnige and eoƿ ƿið spræce
      'Cry ye yet louder, peradventure he sleepeth, that he may at least awaken and answer unto you.'

Usage notes[edit]

  • To talk to or with someone was expressed using + dative or wiþ + accusative, not with mid.

Conjugation[edit]

Synonyms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Related terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]