An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/lernen

by Friedrich Kluge

lernen, vb., from the equiv. MidHG. lërnen, ‘to learn’ (more rarely ‘to teach’), OHG. lirnên, lërnên, ‘to learn’; comp. AS. leornian, E. to learn, OSax. lînon for Goth. *liznan (pret. *liznôda); an OTeut. derivative of the partic. of the Goth. str. vb. lais, ‘I know,’ discussed under Lehre and lehren; hence lernen means ‘to become experienced, informed.’ The cognates of the stem lis fall into two classes; to one belongs the sensuous notion ‘to go’ (comp. Leisten, Leiste, Gleise, and leise), the other comprises the words Lehre, lehren, and Goth. leis, ‘knowing.’