wnn

Egyptian

Pronunciation

(reconstructed) IPA^(key): /waˈnan/ → /waˈnan/ → /wəˈnan/ → /wəˈnan/

(modern Egyptological) IPA^(key): /wɛnɛn/
- Conventional anglicization: wenen

Verb

2ae gem.

(intransitive) to exist, to be present
- c. 1600 BCE, Westcar Papyrus, column 6, line 26 to column 7, line 1:^[1]
  
  […] jw wn nḏs ḏdj rn.f […]
  […] there is a commoner called Djedi […]

Usage notes

For expressing general or gnomic statements, wnn is used in the perfective, unlike other verbs, which are used in the imperfective for this function.

As wnn has no perfect form, it uses the perfective in situations where the perfect might otherwise be expected.

Existential clauses are formed with wnn in the perfective, typically beginning with jw wn for positive existential clauses or nn wn for negative existential clauses. The negative can also be introduced with the terminative nj wnt (usually in dependent clauses) or jwt wnt (usually in noun clauses). Yes-no questions about existence are generally introduced with jn jw wn.

When wnn is used in an inflected form of the suffix conjugation or as a verbal adjective, it can effectively make adverbial predicates (including verbs in the stative) in its clause have the meaning or function of that inflected form, e.g. wn in the subjunctive can give an adverbial predicate a subjunctive meaning or function. Thus, it also allows them to form:

causatives with rḏj, by having a subjunctive wn be the object of rḏj with a following adverbial/stative predicate.
the protasis of a conditional sentence, by having a prospective wnn follow jr with a following adverbial/stative predicate.

Inflection

Conjugation of wnn (irregular second geminate / 2ae gem. / II. gem.) — base stem: wn, geminated stem: wnn

infinitival forms			imperative
infinitive	negatival complement	complementary infinitive¹	singular	plural
wnn⁸	wnn	wnnt	wnn, wn	wnn, wn

‘pseudoverbal’ forms
stative stem	periphrastic imperfective²		periphrastic prospective²
wnn, wn	ḥr wnn	m wnn	r wnn

suffix conjugation
aspect / mood	active	contingent
aspect / mood	active	aspect / mood	active
perfect	—	consecutive	wn.jn
terminative	wnt	consecutive	wn.jn
perfective³	wn	obligative¹	wn.ḫr, wnn.ḫr⁹
imperfective	wnn	obligative¹	wn.ḫr, wnn.ḫr⁹
prospective³	wnn	potentialis¹	wn.kꜣ
subjunctive	wn	potentialis¹	wn.kꜣ

verbal adjectives
aspect / mood	relative (incl. nominal / emphatic) forms	participles
aspect / mood	active	active	passive
perfect	wn.n	—	—
perfective	wn	wn	wn, wnw⁵, wny⁵
imperfective	wnn, wnny, wnnw⁵	wnn, wnnj⁶, wnny⁶	wnn, wnnw⁵
prospective	wn, wntj⁷	wnntj⁴, wnnt⁴

¹ Used in Old Egyptian; archaic by Middle Egyptian.
² Used mostly since Middle Egyptian.
³ Archaic or greatly restricted in usage by Middle Egyptian. The perfect has mostly taken over the functions of the perfective, and the subjunctive and periphrastic prospective have mostly replaced the prospective.
⁴ Declines using third-person suffix pronouns instead of adjectival endings: masculine .f/.fj, feminine .s/.sj, dual .sn/.snj, plural .sn.

Only in the masculine singular.
Only in the masculine.
Only in the feminine.
wn before suffix pronouns.
Only common starting with New Kingdom texts.

Alternative forms

Alternative hieroglyphic writings of wnn

wn

wnw

[Late Egyptian]

[Greco-Roman Period]

in the perfective

Derived terms

Descendants

Coptic: ⲟⲩⲟⲛ (ouon)

References

James P[eter] Allen (2010) Middle Egyptian: An Introduction to the Language and Culture of Hieroglyphs, 2nd edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, pages 165, 262, 280–284, 293–294, 310, 314–317, 345, 367.
Erman, Adolf, Grapow, Hermann (1926–1961) Wörterbuch der ägyptischen Sprache, Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, →ISBN

^ Nederhof, Mark-Jan, Papyrus Westcar, page 25

[1] Nederhof, Mark-Jan, Papyrus Westcar, page 25

[1]