What does it mean to learn?

The English word “learn” is a verb that denotes to “acquire knowledge of (a subject) or skill in (an art, etc.) as a result of study, experience, or teaching” (OED). This word comes to us by way of the Old English (c.450-c.1100) word leornian, which meant “to get knowledge” or to “be cultivated”. Further etymological analysis shows that leornian is likely from an older Germanic verb denoting “to follow or find the track”. These root meanings suggest that learning has long been understood as an action of finding, or following, as well as being akin to growing. Moreover, learn also has old ties to the word lore, from the Old English word lar, which referred to “learning” in terms of “that which is taught” or “a piece of teaching” (OED). All these associations evidence a longstanding correlation that exists between learning and knowledge.

In modern terms, the base meaning of “learn” is to acquire knowledge. That is, a person changing state from not knowing something to subsequently knowing something is said to have learned (something). Consequently, to understand learning we must consider, 1) the nature of the knowledge that has been gained (the outcome of learning) and 2) how it came to be acquired (the process of learning). I will consider these two points in future posts.