The language closest to Bulgaria is Russian, I think.
Closest language to your language.
Considering languages with a national recognition only the closest would be:
1 -Italian
2 -Spanish
3 -Portuguese
4 -Romanian
considering main regional languages :
1. Occitan
2. Catalan
3. Italian
4. Spanish...
1 -Italian
2 -Spanish
3 -Portuguese
4 -Romanian
considering main regional languages :
1. Occitan
2. Catalan
3. Italian
4. Spanish...
Ed: >>The language closest to Bulgaria is Russian, I think. <<
I have a feeling that Bulgarian is closer to Serbian/Croatian, or at least at an equal distance between that and Russian. I have been using Serbian from an early age, and usually I can understand Bulgarian better than Russian. Of course, there is also Macedonian (which sounds like a somewhat archaic version of Bulgarian), but there is still a lot of dispute going on as to whether it is a separate language or a dialect of Bulgarian (I am of the former opinion, but as I know, Bulgarians are of the latter).
I have a feeling that Bulgarian is closer to Serbian/Croatian, or at least at an equal distance between that and Russian. I have been using Serbian from an early age, and usually I can understand Bulgarian better than Russian. Of course, there is also Macedonian (which sounds like a somewhat archaic version of Bulgarian), but there is still a lot of dispute going on as to whether it is a separate language or a dialect of Bulgarian (I am of the former opinion, but as I know, Bulgarians are of the latter).
Well, I think the closest languages to Serbo-Croatian/Bosnian would probably be Slovenian and Macedonian, although all the Slavic languages have similarities. I'm not 100% sure which one is the closest, maybe someone else will know for sure.
I also have one question. Is there any language that is close to Greek?
I also have one question. Is there any language that is close to Greek?
Sanja,
=>Is there any language that is close to Greek<=
I though Sanskrit was a relative of Greek ,but Im not sure.
=>Is there any language that is close to Greek<=
I though Sanskrit was a relative of Greek ,but Im not sure.
Sanja: >>Is there any language that is close to Greek?<<
As I see it, Greek is pretty much a lonely member of the Indo-European family. There were more than one Greek dialects in ancient times (Attic, Ionic, Aeolic, etc.), but nowadays the language seems to be rather homogenous, and without close relatives. Those languages it might have been close to, like Thracian and Phrygian, as well as Ancient Macedonian (the language of Alexander the Great) are now extinct. It also had an interesting relationship with Latin, e.g. the first person singular pronoun was "ego" in both, and there was a systematic /s/ -> /t/ mutation (as in Greek "sy" versus Latin "tu", meaning "you"), as well as a /h/ -> /s/ mutation (as in Greek "hyper" and Latin "super", both meaning "above").
As I see it, Greek is pretty much a lonely member of the Indo-European family. There were more than one Greek dialects in ancient times (Attic, Ionic, Aeolic, etc.), but nowadays the language seems to be rather homogenous, and without close relatives. Those languages it might have been close to, like Thracian and Phrygian, as well as Ancient Macedonian (the language of Alexander the Great) are now extinct. It also had an interesting relationship with Latin, e.g. the first person singular pronoun was "ego" in both, and there was a systematic /s/ -> /t/ mutation (as in Greek "sy" versus Latin "tu", meaning "you"), as well as a /h/ -> /s/ mutation (as in Greek "hyper" and Latin "super", both meaning "above").
which is the clost to french ?
do you think it is spanish ?
NO, as I said above I think that we share more with Italian than with spanish. If we include regional languages the closest to french would be Occitan and Catalan. But in the other hand the "writing" of words tend to be more similar with spanish than in Italian :
ex:
"what", it="che", esp="que", fr="que"
do you think it is spanish ?
NO, as I said above I think that we share more with Italian than with spanish. If we include regional languages the closest to french would be Occitan and Catalan. But in the other hand the "writing" of words tend to be more similar with spanish than in Italian :
ex:
"what", it="che", esp="que", fr="que"
Thanks, Easterner.
"As I see it, Greek is pretty much a lonely member of the Indo-European family."
That's what I thought. It's pretty interesting, though. It seems to be the only language without a closer relative, as far as I know.
"As I see it, Greek is pretty much a lonely member of the Indo-European family."
That's what I thought. It's pretty interesting, though. It seems to be the only language without a closer relative, as far as I know.
I agree Bernard, the closestc to french is italian is FRENCH, no doubt (a part italo languages of course). As said Curzio MALAPARTE: "rench and italians are cousins since the beginning. I was surprised in USA they confused me of beinf french when i am from Toscanny, it does not matter. I always enjoyed the french anarchy miwed with the italian discipline!. Sometimes i am asking myself why is there a difference when in fact there is not any serious one!"
<<I have a feeling that Bulgarian is closer to Serbian/Croatian, or at least at an equal distance between that and Russian. I have been using Serbian from an early age, and usually I can understand Bulgarian better than Russian. Of course, there is also Macedonian (which sounds like a somewhat archaic version of Bulgarian), but there is still a lot of dispute going on as to whether it is a separate language or a dialect of Bulgarian (I am of the former opinion, but as I know, Bulgarians are of the latter). >>
I understand Russian much better that Serbo-Croatian. Besides, it's logical that you understand Bulgarian better than Russian, because Bulgarian is closer to Serbo-Croatian than Russian is. The same would apply to a Russian person - it's much easier for them to understand Bulgarian than Serbo-Croatian. Bulgarian is kind of in between.
And, yes, if we consider Macedonian a seperate language, then it would assume the position of the language closest to Bulgarian.
I understand Russian much better that Serbo-Croatian. Besides, it's logical that you understand Bulgarian better than Russian, because Bulgarian is closer to Serbo-Croatian than Russian is. The same would apply to a Russian person - it's much easier for them to understand Bulgarian than Serbo-Croatian. Bulgarian is kind of in between.
And, yes, if we consider Macedonian a seperate language, then it would assume the position of the language closest to Bulgarian.
Like Greek, Albanian and Armenian make up an independent branch of the Indo-European family. None of them has close relatives.
My mother tongue is Finnish (though I learnt also Swedish from my parents). The closest languages to Finnish are the other Balto-Finnic languages. Among these siblings only Estonian is a national language of an independent country, but Karelian (spoken mainly in Russia) is closest to Finnish. An example:
Finnish: Minä istun tuolissa ja puhun omaa kieltäni.
Karelian: Minä istun stuulas da pagizen omua kieldä.
Estonian:Mina istun toolis ja räägin oma keelt.
Hungarian: Egy széken ülök én a nyelvemet beszélek.
(English: I sit in a chair and speek (my) own language.)
Hungarians may correct if I have made mistakes with their tongue.
In my home town (Rauma) we speak a curious dialect with lots of German words many of which are brought by seamen, as 'ahter' and 'stilt'.
My mother tongue is Finnish (though I learnt also Swedish from my parents). The closest languages to Finnish are the other Balto-Finnic languages. Among these siblings only Estonian is a national language of an independent country, but Karelian (spoken mainly in Russia) is closest to Finnish. An example:
Finnish: Minä istun tuolissa ja puhun omaa kieltäni.
Karelian: Minä istun stuulas da pagizen omua kieldä.
Estonian:Mina istun toolis ja räägin oma keelt.
Hungarian: Egy széken ülök én a nyelvemet beszélek.
(English: I sit in a chair and speek (my) own language.)
Hungarians may correct if I have made mistakes with their tongue.
In my home town (Rauma) we speak a curious dialect with lots of German words many of which are brought by seamen, as 'ahter' and 'stilt'.
=>with lots of German words many of which are brought by seamen, as 'ahter' and 'stilt'<=
These arent German words,Im certain they are Dutch.Because the are exactly the same as Swedish and Danish and Norwegian words,and ,well,the Germans never were great sailors :)
These arent German words,Im certain they are Dutch.Because the are exactly the same as Swedish and Danish and Norwegian words,and ,well,the Germans never were great sailors :)
Also where as "ahter" is "hinter" in German and "achter"in Dutch and "stilt" is "ruhe" in German and "stilte" in Dutch :)
But this isnt something new,nearly every European (and even further) have Dutch naval terms.
EG in English*:
-ahoy
-deck
-cruiser
-dock
-freebooter
-filibuster
-freight
-furlough
-hoist
-keel
-keelhaul
-maelstrom
-leak
-skipper
-sloop
-yacht
But this isnt something new,nearly every European (and even further) have Dutch naval terms.
EG in English*:
-ahoy
-deck
-cruiser
-dock
-freebooter
-filibuster
-freight
-furlough
-hoist
-keel
-keelhaul
-maelstrom
-leak
-skipper
-sloop
-yacht
*Could you tell me which Dutch words, from the list,excist in Finnish (in an other form of course)?