Language that sounds like English
For big languages, I'd say that Dutch sounds the most like English. There are complete sentences that ressemble English a lot in sound.
If you know some German, you can feel how Dutch is very much in the middle between English and German. It's like when you dream about languages and things can get a little confused.
I think not other language sounds like English. English sounds like a wagging metal spring with rolled "r"
Other languages using rolled "r" as few or inexistent.
Can we consider "Singlish" as a variety ?
Dutch sounds not at all like English. The abundance of guttural consonants (gargled R, 'kh'), French/German pursed-lip vowels, dental t's and d's, sharp consonants - none of that English mushiness, that characteristic Germanic nasal drawl in diphthongs.. Dutch sounds German. Very German.
English is a unique-sounding language, really.
Well I'd say a mixture of Dutch and English. English is not that unique after all! :-)
To my ears, Dutch, as it sounds, is really in the middle between German and English. Less harsh than German but far more guttural than English.
Frisian, however, sounds really much like English, although I couldn't understand anything. Where is it spoken? are English and Frisian related?
I could understand pieces and bits such as this, is and other basic words.. but it sounds indeed like English. Frisian is Spoken in northern HOlland, and in Germany at the border with Danemark
"Dutch sounds not at all like English. The abundance of guttural consonants (gargled R, 'kh'), French/German pursed-lip vowels, dental t's and d's, sharp consonants - none of that English mushiness, that characteristic Germanic nasal drawl in diphthongs.. Dutch sounds German. Very German."
English is a unique-sounding language, really.
You said, "none of that English mushiness," and to that I must very much disagree. Maybe English sounds mushier, but I think mushiness is a big defining characteristic of every Germanic language, maybe Dutch most of all.
<<but I think mushiness is a big defining characteristic of every Germanic language>>
I don't think so. Compare English to German, which is much more crystal-clear. English is just pure slushy grime.
"<<but I think mushiness is a big defining characteristic of every Germanic language>>
I don't think so. Compare English to German, which is much more crystal-clear. English is just pure slushy grime."
All right, English may sound mushier than German, but German also has a mushy side, like every Germanic language. Sometimes German sounds really rounded, with a lot of words that sound like "fluben." These words can indeed make it sound mushy.
<< If you know some German, you can feel how Dutch is very much in the middle between English and German. >>
-- Written Dutch, for sure. But contrary to both English and German, aspiration of fortis consonants is weaker in Dutch, and the language is definitely less stress-timed. From that point of view standard German could be seen as being a mid-term between English and Dutch!
<< Dutch sounds not at all like English. The abundance of guttural consonants (gargled R, 'kh'), French/German pursed-lip vowels, dental t's and d's, sharp consonants - none of that English mushiness, that characteristic Germanic nasal drawl in diphthongs.. Dutch sounds German. Very German.
English is a unique-sounding language, really.>>
-- RP English is obviously lightyears away from Dutch. However, some Northern English dialects and Scottish pronunciation have a sort of harshness that is sometimes reminiscent in some way of Dutch.
It's never easy (and rather futile) to pigeonhole languages along a linear scale.
<<Saterland Frisian
Die Wänt strookede dät Wucht uum ju Keeuwe un oapede hier ap do Sooken.
North Frisian (Mooring dialect)
Di dreng aide dåt foomen am dåt kan än mäket har aw da siike.
West Frisian
De jonge streake it famke om it kin en tute har op 'e wangen.
East Frisian Low Saxon
De Jung straktde dat Wicht um't Kinn to un tuutjede hör up de Wangen.
Danish
Drengen aede pigen på hagen og kyssede hende på kinderne.
Dutch
De jongen streelde/streek het meisje rond haar kin en kuste haar op haar wangen.
Dutch Low Saxon
De jonge strek 't dearntje um de kinne en gaf heur een smok.
German
Der Junge streichelte das Mädchen ums Kinn und küsste sie auf die Wangen.
English
The boy stroked the girl on the chin and kissed her on the cheeks.
Scots
The laddie straikit the lassie oan the chin an gied hir a smouch oan the chouks>>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frisian_languages