Is English a Germanic Language? A Deep Dive

6.1K

English can be a difficult language to learn. It’s got words like “worse” and “horse” that don’t rhyme, and words like “swim” and “fight” that somehow become “swum” and “fought.” How do you untangle all these English words and pronunciations?

The secret is being able to answer, “Is English a Germanic language?” and understanding English’s origins. Some English words came straight from a Germanic ancestor language, while others went through a variety of languages before making their way to English. Either way, learning more about the English language makes you a stronger English speaker—even if English is your first language.

What is a Germanic language?

The term “Germanic language” doesn’t just come from German, although German is definitely a Germanic language. These languages come from a Proto-Germanic language that dates back to the first century C.E. They share vocabulary, sound systems, and grammar structures, making them look and sound very similar to each other.

So, is English a Germanic language? Yes! English is one of the most common languages in the world. But it didn’t start out that way. Even the word “English” has a Germanic source!

Before Anglo-Saxons from Germany invaded Britain in the 5th century C.E., people in Britain spoke either Latin or Celtic languages. The Anglo-Saxons brought the Germanic language Anglisc to Britain, which became the Old English dialect in later centuries. (Say Anglisc out loud and you’ll hear a word that sounds a lot like “English.”)

The 15th-century invention of the printing press and British exploration spread the English language around the world. Today, over one-third of the world’s population (nearly 2 billion people) speaks English as a first or learned language.

English words with Germanic roots

It’s easy to spot some English words that come from German, such as kindergarten or smorgasbord. Known as loanwords, these words follow English pronunciation rules, but still remind speakers of their German roots.

But English has more Germanic words than these two. In fact, you probably use them every day! All of these English words have origins in the Proto-Germanic mother language.

Note that many English words look like they should rhyme, such as “dough” and “rough” or “horse” and “worse.” But a quick look at their Proto-Germanic roots reveals that these word pairs never shared pronunciations. Their spellings are their only similarities.

Germanic verb types in English

What about English words like “swim” and “fight,” which change forms in past tense? These verbs are known as grammatically strong verbs. You can divide verbs in all Germanic languages, including English, into strong and weak verbs.

• Strong verbs: Verbs that have an internal vowel change when you change their tense. For example: “Swim”/”swum,” “fight”/”fought”
• Weak verbs: Verbs that add a suffix when you change their tense. For example: “Walk”/”walked”, “smile”/”smiled”

Strong verbs in English typically come from verbs with Germanic roots. English verbs that come from other language sources, such as Spanish or French, are usually weak verbs. Consider words like “prepare” (from the Spanish preparar) or “demand” (from the French demander). Both words end in -ed in the past tense, making them weak. But strong Germanic verbs like “leave” become “left” in the past tense. 

You’ll find some Germanic verbs in English too, such as “help” (past tense “helped”) or “love” (past tense “loved”). But if you do find a strong verb, it’s a safe bet that that word came from a Germanic ancestor.

What are the other Germanic languages?

English is a Germanic language, but it’s not the only one. Over 133 million people speak German itself, making it the second-most common Germanic language in the world (behind English).

The full list of major Germanic languages includes:

• English
• German
• Dutch
• Swedish
• Danish
• Norwegian
• Frisian
• Afrikaans
• Yiddish
• Icelandic
• Faroese

While speakers of each language may not readily understand the others, their common roots make them easier to learn. Someone who speaks only English may catch on to German or Dutch easily, while Danish speakers may find Norwegian simple to pick up!

Is English also a Romance language?

English may be Germanic, but its influences don’t stop there. English has heavy influences from French, Spanish, and Italian—none of which are Germanic. These are Romance languages, which come from Latin. 

Even though it has French words like “cuisine,” Spanish words like “mosquito,” and Italian words like “piano,” English isn’t a Romance language. So what’s with all the words from Romance languages?

Germanic and Romance languages both belong to the Indo-European language family. Their countries of origin are very close together, allowing languages and cultures to mix as their populations grew. English and French are especially close, as Norman invaders brought Old French to Britain in 1066.

When British settlers made their home in the United States, they brought the English language with them. So did immigrants from France, Italy, Spain, and many other countries around the world. Being so close to other cultures allowed these languages to influence each other even more. That’s why English now includes words like “guacamole” and “pasta”—two excellent additions to the English language!

Interesting facts about English

Want to know more about the common Germanic language that you already speak (or are learning to speak)? Check out these fascinating facts about the most spoken language in the world.

• Today there are around 1 million words in the English language. That number is always growing, thanks to technology and influence from other cultures.
• English is closely related to Scots, a Germanic language spoken in Scotland. Scots and English share roots in Old English. While the languages diverged in the 14th century, speakers of both languages can generally understand the other one.
• There are dozens of English dialects spoken around the world today. These dialects come about when neighboring cultures influence the pronunciation and vocabulary of English. 
• There’s not just one type of American English or British English. Linguists have identified at least 25 American English dialects, for example, and around 15 different British accents.
• Many English words were invented by writers, not passed down from other languages. For example, scholars believe that William Shakespeare created 1,700 new words, including “lackluster” and “swagger.”
• English is spoken in over 100 countries, 35 of which name it as an official language.
• More people learn English as a second (or third, or fourth) language than Spanish, French, Japanese, German, Italian, and Chinese combined.

What Germanic language should you learn next?

Once you know one Germanic language, it’s not difficult to learn another. And great news—if you can read this article, you already know one, since English is a Germanic language! 

English speakers often go on to learn German, Dutch, or Norwegian without much difficulty. With Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion method, you can study the differences between English and your new language, both big and small. 

Learn more about how Rosetta Stone works to start your Germanic language learning journey today!