"Similar" languages

Elsol301   Tue Feb 02, 2010 1:35 pm GMT
Which languages sound alike?

I only speak about the pronunciation, the accent etc..
For example, I think Spanish and Greek share some sounds in common, although they are completely different. Or also German and Dutch ect...
I would like to know your opinions about it.
Cindy   Tue Feb 02, 2010 2:07 pm GMT
Spanish and Italian sound similar.
rep   Tue Feb 02, 2010 6:21 pm GMT
<<For example, I think Spanish and Greek share some sounds in common, although they are completely different. Or also German and Dutch ect... >>
German and Dutch both belong to Westgermanic subgroup of Germanic languages. Spanish and Greek belong to different groups of Ind European family .
French and German,Pashto and Russian share some sounds in common.
Franco   Tue Feb 02, 2010 8:47 pm GMT
Spanish (IE) and Basque (isolated language).
.   Tue Feb 02, 2010 8:50 pm GMT
Dutch and German don't sound alike to me. The accent is all wrong.

Dutch accent sounds a lot like French accent though.
Baldewin   Tue Feb 02, 2010 8:56 pm GMT
Dutch and German differ mainly in consonants and pronunciation, but have a lot in common. Especially purist Dutch is alike to German. There are a lot of 'false friends' between the two though.
I also often have the impression Dutch is closer to English, by times. Why? I have no idea.
maine   Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:04 pm GMT
<<I also often have the impression Dutch is closer to English, by times. Why? I have no idea. >>
Answer:because people in the Netherlands generally do not like to be associated as being German.
.   Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:05 pm GMT
I think you know why...

...because English is a Dutch dialect...
.   Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:06 pm GMT
...that too...
Baldewin   Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:12 pm GMT
Germanophobia in the Netherlands kind of pisses me off. Especially those who haven't been through WWII have no reason in hating Germans. My grandparents who remember German soldiers marching their streets (they were 6-10 that time) don't hold a grudge toward Germans at all. In Flanders people don't understand the germanophobia in the Netherlands. Oh well, over here there's also the irrational hollandophobia (among old people especially, less among young), which I myself neither understand. ;-)
Leasnam   Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:32 pm GMT
Well, I wouldn't say that the reason why the Dutch forechoose to distance themselves from the Germans and the German language is necessarily for sake of WWII. Rather, it's a way of separating themselves out and distinguishing themselves with their own selfhood, as saying "we're not Germans, we're Dutch!"

I myself wouldn't want to be lumped together with another neighboring nationality. I wouldn't like that at all.
Baldewin   Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:45 pm GMT
Yes, that may very well be, but nowadays they only seem to look at the Anglo-Saxon culture. Of course, it's a wise decision to look at that direction, but why ignore German? Ah well, the proficiency in German is still higher in the Netherlands than in Flanders anyway.
This makes me think about Flemish being less proficient in French these days, they will improve their French in the future again, but it's a reaction against the so-called 'Romance culture' or even 'French mentality' they tried to associate us with.
Leasnam   Tue Feb 02, 2010 9:50 pm GMT
<<it's a reaction against the so-called 'Romance culture' or even 'French mentality' they tried to associate us with. >>

Oh, this is interesting. Can you please expound a little more on it?
Baldewin   Tue Feb 02, 2010 10:03 pm GMT
Flemish have a more hierarchical culture, they also tutoyate less frequently than Dutch do (that was so several years, nowadays we do tutoyate everywhere). Dutch on the other hand have more a debating culture and are more individualistic. Also the fact we're Roman catholic and the Netherlands have been built upon a calvinistic ideal has made fed the idea that we have a Romance culture.
Personally I think we are growing toward a more individualistic culture though, but the influence is more Anglo-Saxon than Dutch.

Very still, I also see Walloons become more individualistic, and mayhap also French?
Franco   Tue Feb 02, 2010 10:03 pm GMT
Who are the most Romanized Germanic people, the English or the Flemish?.