Though Dutch is, after Frisian, the most closelty related language to English.
English, German, & Dutch
<<as a general rule, however, Dutch often lines up or at least has a closely related term with English at times when German deviates as in>>
Of course, like you said "at times", i.e. rather a small number of terms compared to uncountable closely related Dutch and German ones where English differs.
Of course, like you said "at times", i.e. rather a small number of terms compared to uncountable closely related Dutch and German ones where English differs.
<<I spent the summer of 2004 in Italy, and an Italian told me that English looks like Dutch when it's written down, but sounds completely different to it.
But, as a native English speaker, Dutch looks very different to English, in my opinion. >>
This is the difference between subjective and objective opinions : ) Most native English speakers don't really have a clear view of their own language apart from what has been been told to them in books or from educators.
<<Though Dutch is, after Frisian, the most closelty related language to English. >>
Actually, many consider the relationship to be as you've pointed out: Frisian [dialects] first (after other Anlgic languages like Scots) > then Low Saxon dialects (Plattdeutsch/Niedersakisch) > then Dutch/Afrikaans; but Dutch is very close still.
<<Of course, like you said "at times", i.e. rather a small number of terms compared to uncountable closely related Dutch and German ones where English differs. >>
Yes, no doubt. Lexically, English is no match with German when compared to Dutch. English does stand to contend however in the other arenas.
But, as a native English speaker, Dutch looks very different to English, in my opinion. >>
This is the difference between subjective and objective opinions : ) Most native English speakers don't really have a clear view of their own language apart from what has been been told to them in books or from educators.
<<Though Dutch is, after Frisian, the most closelty related language to English. >>
Actually, many consider the relationship to be as you've pointed out: Frisian [dialects] first (after other Anlgic languages like Scots) > then Low Saxon dialects (Plattdeutsch/Niedersakisch) > then Dutch/Afrikaans; but Dutch is very close still.
<<Of course, like you said "at times", i.e. rather a small number of terms compared to uncountable closely related Dutch and German ones where English differs. >>
Yes, no doubt. Lexically, English is no match with German when compared to Dutch. English does stand to contend however in the other arenas.
I have an extremely varied range of interests, from writing, composing music, to deep theoretical physics, to linguistics, and more... and today was a day I got a random urge to read up on more language stuff. I speak English and Spanish, and have had over 6 years of French, and I've been wondering whether the next language I should try to learn should be Germanic, or totally different... French and Spanish are both Romance, so I guess that's enough for that, so I got curious about Germanic and after some time on wikipedia, searched the closest language to English, and found this thread.
It seems to me that the closest thing is Scots, which is almost more like a dialect of English. Closest distinct "real" language is Frisian, and then Dutch, which would be the closest, distinct, and more widely spoken language.
I think it's pretty darn obvious Dutch would be closer to German, even just from historically how they developed, and how Dutch fits in a language family tree.... but it's definitely closer to English than German is. The accent and some sounds are quite like German. HOWEVER, sometimes, it'll sound, look like written down, and sound when reading is attemtped, more like English. I just did a little exercise in trying to translate this interview, with out looking at translations: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/dutch/self_study_packs/english_language/trydutch/interview.html
I was amazed at how much I managed to get from listening + seeing it written down. I seriously got EVERYTHING down, paraphrased, except for 3 or 4 phrases. Well, apparently I can speak Dutch now. :) Ik ben Rhoi, ik speel viool, en ik ben gelukkig. For that last word, I have no idea where the relation may be. Not "happy," since Shakespeare made up that word, but maybe it's related to "glad"?
>>onderweg - unterwegs - on the road <<
if I loosen and slur/smudge my attempts of pronouncing that with English, I would read that as "un der wod" which sounds like "on the road." That's how i managed to figure out so much from that interview video. I know those were pretty simple sentences with few of those very different words, but i'm still pleasantly surprised.
I don't know if I'd really want to learn Dutch though. Maybe, cause since i'm older, in college, I don't have much time since i'm focusing on French... maybe it'll be good, relatively easy? And then can be a stepping stone or at least helpful for German?
It seems to me that the closest thing is Scots, which is almost more like a dialect of English. Closest distinct "real" language is Frisian, and then Dutch, which would be the closest, distinct, and more widely spoken language.
I think it's pretty darn obvious Dutch would be closer to German, even just from historically how they developed, and how Dutch fits in a language family tree.... but it's definitely closer to English than German is. The accent and some sounds are quite like German. HOWEVER, sometimes, it'll sound, look like written down, and sound when reading is attemtped, more like English. I just did a little exercise in trying to translate this interview, with out looking at translations: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/dutch/self_study_packs/english_language/trydutch/interview.html
I was amazed at how much I managed to get from listening + seeing it written down. I seriously got EVERYTHING down, paraphrased, except for 3 or 4 phrases. Well, apparently I can speak Dutch now. :) Ik ben Rhoi, ik speel viool, en ik ben gelukkig. For that last word, I have no idea where the relation may be. Not "happy," since Shakespeare made up that word, but maybe it's related to "glad"?
>>onderweg - unterwegs - on the road <<
if I loosen and slur/smudge my attempts of pronouncing that with English, I would read that as "un der wod" which sounds like "on the road." That's how i managed to figure out so much from that interview video. I know those were pretty simple sentences with few of those very different words, but i'm still pleasantly surprised.
I don't know if I'd really want to learn Dutch though. Maybe, cause since i'm older, in college, I don't have much time since i'm focusing on French... maybe it'll be good, relatively easy? And then can be a stepping stone or at least helpful for German?
Rhoi, which language resulted to be the most difficult in your learning process, Spanish or French?
<<en ik ben gelukkig. For that last word, I have no idea where the relation may be. Not "happy," since Shakespeare made up that word, but maybe it's related to "glad"?
>>
That "last word"--'gelukkig' is our English word "Lucky", and means "happy" in Dutch:)
geluk = luck, good fortune
>>
That "last word"--'gelukkig' is our English word "Lucky", and means "happy" in Dutch:)
geluk = luck, good fortune
cont.
it is based on the same concept as 'happy' where 'hap' = good luck
so when we say "I'm happy" we're really saying "I'm lucky!"
it is based on the same concept as 'happy' where 'hap' = good luck
so when we say "I'm happy" we're really saying "I'm lucky!"
"Most native English speakers don't really have a clear view of their own language apart from what has been been told to them in books or from educators."
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I also read somewhere that if you want to hear what English sounds like to foreigners who can't speak it, just listen to a recording of English played backwards.
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I also read somewhere that if you want to hear what English sounds like to foreigners who can't speak it, just listen to a recording of English played backwards.
Shakespeare didn't invent the word "happy".
"Happy" was coined in the 1340s. It originally meant "lucky", and derives from the English word "hap" meaning "chance, fortune."
It first came to mean "very glad" around 1390.
"Happy" replaced the Old English word "eadig" (ead meant "wealth", "riches") and the Old English word "gesalig", which evolved into the word "silly".
Also, the modern word "blithe" derives from the "bliðe" - the Old English for "happy."
English is not alone in which the word "happy" originally meant "lucky." A great majority of the European words for "happy" at first meant "lucky."
An exception is Welsh, where the word used first meant "wise."
"Happy" was coined in the 1340s. It originally meant "lucky", and derives from the English word "hap" meaning "chance, fortune."
It first came to mean "very glad" around 1390.
"Happy" replaced the Old English word "eadig" (ead meant "wealth", "riches") and the Old English word "gesalig", which evolved into the word "silly".
Also, the modern word "blithe" derives from the "bliðe" - the Old English for "happy."
English is not alone in which the word "happy" originally meant "lucky." A great majority of the European words for "happy" at first meant "lucky."
An exception is Welsh, where the word used first meant "wise."
<An exception is Welsh, where the word used first meant "wise.">
The Welsh are great philosophers. I quite agree that happiness is more a matter of wisdom than a matter of luck.
The Welsh are great philosophers. I quite agree that happiness is more a matter of wisdom than a matter of luck.
@ Morticia: French, because that's the only one that required real effort. Spanish I learned through conversation within the family, so no real work.
@ Leasnom: Thanks, I should have been able to figure out "lucky" from there, duh.... :P
@ Adam, wow... for the longest time I was so sure I had read and confirmed that Shakespeare made it up, but I googled and yea... I'm not finding anything about Shakespeare. Maybe popularized it, or does Shakespeare have nothing to do with the word? I wonder what it was I had read before...
@ Leasnom: Thanks, I should have been able to figure out "lucky" from there, duh.... :P
@ Adam, wow... for the longest time I was so sure I had read and confirmed that Shakespeare made it up, but I googled and yea... I'm not finding anything about Shakespeare. Maybe popularized it, or does Shakespeare have nothing to do with the word? I wonder what it was I had read before...
<<Glück>>
English - late / later (latter) / latest (last)
Dutch - laat / later / laatst(e)
German - spät / später / spätste-
English - now
Dutch - nu
German - jetzt (nun)
English - how
Dutch - hoe
German - wie
English - late / later (latter) / latest (last)
Dutch - laat / later / laatst(e)
German - spät / später / spätste-
English - now
Dutch - nu
German - jetzt (nun)
English - how
Dutch - hoe
German - wie
Dutch - wending
German - Wendung
English - change/ turn
gunstig
günstig
cheap
aard
Art
kind/ manner
nemen
nehmen
take
gefangen
gevangen
captured
niemand
niemand
nobody
nacht
Nacht
night
gerecht
Gericht
court
kind
Kind
child
oren
Ohren
ears
verbergen
verbergen
hide (bury)
snel
schnell
fast
ambt
Amt
office
bekleden
bekleiden
betaling
Bezahlung
payment
burgemeester
Bürgermeister
mayor
angst
Angst
fear
...
German - Wendung
English - change/ turn
gunstig
günstig
cheap
aard
Art
kind/ manner
nemen
nehmen
take
gefangen
gevangen
captured
niemand
niemand
nobody
nacht
Nacht
night
gerecht
Gericht
court
kind
Kind
child
oren
Ohren
ears
verbergen
verbergen
hide (bury)
snel
schnell
fast
ambt
Amt
office
bekleden
bekleiden
betaling
Bezahlung
payment
burgemeester
Bürgermeister
mayor
angst
Angst
fear
...