An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/wecken

by Friedrich Kluge

wecken, vb., ‘to wake, awake,’ from the equiv. MidHG. węcken, OHG. węcchen (from *wakjan), str. vb.; corresponding to Goth. wakjan (uswakjan), OIc. vekja, AS. węččęan, Du. wekken, OSax. wękkian, ‘to awake.’ The common Teut. wakjan has the form and meaning of an old causative, but presupposes a Teut. *wëkan, which does not occur (the apparently primary Goth. wakan, str. vb., was orig. weak). Sans. too has only the causative vâjáy, ‘to stir, incite,’ of the corresponding root; this meaning throws light on the Teut. cognates; Lat. vigil, ‘awake,’ and vegêre, ‘to be lively, excite,’ are also probably allied. The lately formed adj. ModHG. wach shows that from the primit. causative wogéy (Teut. wakj-) numerous cognates might be gradually developed.