Germanic languages: Difference between revisions
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'''Germanic languages''' are a branch of the [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European]] language family, initially spoken in northern and central Europe and now spread in many parts of the World. Those with the most speakers are [[English language|English]], [[German language|German]] and [[Dutch language|Dutch]] and are used as state languages in several countries. Other Germanic state languages are [[Afrikaans language|Afrikaans]], [[Swedish language|Swedish]], [[Danish language|Danish]], [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]] and [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]]. [[Faeroese language|Faeroese]] and [[Frisian language|Frisian]] are regional, official languages. The remaining Germanic languages, [[Yiddish language|Yiddish]] and [[Low German language|Low German]], have no official status and are endangered. [[Luxemburgish]] is a German dialect with an official status. Some varieties like [[Scots]] are viewed traditionally as dialects of major languages but some users consider they are independent languages. | '''Germanic languages''' are a branch of the [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European]] language family, initially spoken in northern and central Europe and now spread in many parts of the World. Those with the most speakers are [[English language|English]], [[German language|German]] and [[Dutch language|Dutch]] and are used as state languages in several countries. Other Germanic state languages are [[Afrikaans language|Afrikaans]], [[Swedish language|Swedish]], [[Danish language|Danish]], [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]] and [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]]. [[Faeroese language|Faeroese]] and [[Frisian language|Frisian]] are regional, official languages. The remaining Germanic languages, [[Yiddish language|Yiddish]] and [[Low German language|Low German]], have no official status and are endangered. [[Luxemburgish]] is a German dialect with an official status. Some varieties like [[Scots]] are viewed traditionally as dialects of major languages but some users consider they are independent languages. | ||
The mother tongue, [[Proto-Germanic]], was probably spoken until the 4th century AD. A lot of varieties derived from it in the Middle Ages. Some of them like [[Old Norse]] or [[Frankish language|Frankish]] evolved toward the current languages. Others like [[Gothic]] died out. | |||
A traditional and somewhat simplified classification of the current languages is the following. | |||
* ''West Germanic'' | |||
** [[English language|English]], [[Scots]] | |||
** [[Frisian language|Frisian]] | |||
** [[Dutch language|Dutch]] | |||
*** [[Afrikaans language|Afrikaans]] (recentky derived form Dutch) | |||
** [[Low German language|Low German]] | |||
** [[German language|German]] | |||
*** [[Yiddish language|Yiddish]] (derived from German) | |||
* ''North Germanic'' or ''Scandinavian'' | |||
** [[Danish language|Danish]] | |||
** [[Swedish language|Swedish]] | |||
** [[Norwegian language|Norwegian]] | |||
** [[Faeroese language|Faeroese]] | |||
** [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]] | |||
Revision as of 11:44, 21 October 2008
Germanic languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family, initially spoken in northern and central Europe and now spread in many parts of the World. Those with the most speakers are English, German and Dutch and are used as state languages in several countries. Other Germanic state languages are Afrikaans, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian and Icelandic. Faeroese and Frisian are regional, official languages. The remaining Germanic languages, Yiddish and Low German, have no official status and are endangered. Luxemburgish is a German dialect with an official status. Some varieties like Scots are viewed traditionally as dialects of major languages but some users consider they are independent languages.
The mother tongue, Proto-Germanic, was probably spoken until the 4th century AD. A lot of varieties derived from it in the Middle Ages. Some of them like Old Norse or Frankish evolved toward the current languages. Others like Gothic died out.
A traditional and somewhat simplified classification of the current languages is the following.