The spelling of "wast born" may appear confusing, but it's actually a result of archaic English language practices. The phrase is the past tense of "to be born," and was used in Early Modern English. The word "wast" is an archaic second person singular form of the verb "to be," which means 'were' in modern English. The two words were often combined to create 'wast born,' which is pronounced as /wɑst bɔrn/ in IPA phonetic transcription. It's important to note that this phrase is no longer common in modern English.
"Wast born" is an antiquated phrase derived from Old English, used to describe the act of giving birth or being brought into existence. The term consists of two parts: "wast" and "born."
"Wast" is the old second person singular form of the verb "to be" in the past tense. It is an archaic version of the word "were," which is the past tense plural form of "to be." In this context, "wast" is used to indicate that the subject of the phrase is the second person singular, suggesting that "you" (in a singular sense) were the one born.
"Born" is the past participle of the verb "to bear" or "to give birth." It refers to the act of being delivered or originating from one's mother's womb. In the phrase "wast born," "born" is used as a noun, representing the state of being born.
Combining these two elements, "wast born" essentially means "you were brought into existence through birth." It conveys the idea of someone's origin or beginnings. The phrase may have been frequently used in religious or poetic contexts throughout history, such as in biblical texts or traditional poetry, as it bears a poetic and archaic resonance. However, in modern usage, it has become rare and is primarily found within historical or literary contexts.
The phrase "wast born" is a contraction of the Old English phrase "thū (thou) wast boren".
The word "wast" is the second-person singular past tense of the verb "be", which means "were" in modern English. "Born" is the past participle of the verb "bear", meaning "to give birth".
So, "wast born" can be translated to "were born" or "you were born".
The etymology of "wast" can be traced back to the Old English word "wǣron", which originated from the Proto-Germanic word "wēzun". The word "born" comes from the Old English word "boren" that also finds its roots in Old Saxon and Old High German.